There should be no question about the impact of fathers in the life of children. Children with fathers who are involved in their lives do far better in every measurable category than children where the father is not active. Children need their father.
A study by the Minnesota Fathers and Family Network suggest that young children with involved fathers display enhanced social skills including more self-control, less compulsive behavior, higher self esteem, more generosity and greater empathy. In addition, active father involvement also increases cognitive capacities for young children to include higher verbal skills, and higher scores on assessments of cognitive competence.
On the flip side, fatherhood also benefits men. An extended sense of accomplishment through the achievement of one’s children, increased friendship with your children through various activities, and a greater sense of purpose through the legacy of one’s offspring are some of the ways that men benefit from being active fathers.
The lack of a father in the home is perhaps the single most important factor for many of the social problems affecting our communities today. The statistics don’t lie. The likelihood that a young male will engage in criminal activity doubles if he is raised without a father and triples if he lives in a neighborhood with a high concentration of single-parent families.1
Not only that, but “young men who grow up in homes without fathers are twice as likely to end up in jail as those who come from traditional two-parent families...those boys whose fathers were absent from the household had double the odds of being incarcerated -- even when other factors such as race, income, parent education and urban residence were held constant.”2
Even in regards to educational performance and achievement, the role of the father cannot be overlooked when one considers that 71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes.3 Moreover, children from low-income, two-parent families outperform students from high-income, single-parent homes. And almost twice as many high achievers come from two-parent homes as one-parent homes.4
Ultimately, we should do more in our communities to promote, and maintain marriage. And fathers (even those who do not live with their children) must be accountable, active, available and financially responsible. In conclusion, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge our mothers as the backbone and foundation of our families. Nevertheless, we must be cautious not to underestimate, devalue or overlook the incredible impact of - The Father Factor.
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[1] A. Anne Hill, June O'Neill, Underclass Behaviors in the United States, CUNY, Baruch College. 1993
[2] Cynthia Harper of the University of Pennsylvania and Sara S. McLanahan of Princeton University cited in "Father Absence and Youth Incarceration." Journal of Research on Adolescence 14 (September 2004): 369-397
[3] National Principals Association Report on the State of High Schools.) One Hill, June O'Neill, Underclass Behaviors in the United States, CUNY, Baruch College. 1993
[4] One-Parent Families and Their Children, Charles F. Kettering Foundation, 1990).
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