Fathers play a big role in the development of their children. With both daughters and sons, the effect that fathers have on their children are innumerable in every aspect.
My Father
The picture shown is my two older sisters and my father. While reflecting on my lifetime with my father, I don't have many negative experiences. I have actually always considered my dad one of my closest friends, in every aspect he has been one of my biggest supporters and the amount of positive experiences I have with him has taught me a lot in life. I think the biggest thing I've learned from my dad is the kind of husband I want and the kind of guy I want to raise my children.
From as early as I can remember, my dad has been a wrestling coach. From a young age, I would get up at 4 am and road trip across the state of Michigan with him for his tournaments. This allowed for us to talk and work on communication skills which set us up for the rest of the future to have a solid relationship. This relationship carried on through my later years, when I was ever going through a time when I was struggling my father always knew. I remember multiple nights having an emotional breakdown and my dad coming in and sitting at the end of the nights and calming me down. It didn't matter what my problem was, I always was able to talk to my dad and have a solid relationship with him.
Being in college, I don't get to see my dad which is hard but I am still able to talk to him sometimes. Our relationship is still very strong and whenever I need help or am having struggles, I call my father and he always knows what will help me and how to calm me down. There are so many things that I am thankful for in regards to my dad but I am most thankful that he specifically is my father because he has impacted my life so much.
The Importance of Fathers in the Healthy Development of Children
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services discusses the importance of Fathers and the development of their children. Within this article, I've found five important factors that fathers have:
1.) "Father's involvement reduces the parenting and housework load a mother has to bear and increases the overall parental investments in family life, thereby minimizing the chances that either parent will neglect to care for or to supervise their children." Fathers and mothers are needed to help each other and when they work together they can build each other up, this creates a bond between them that will also strengthen the bond with their children.
2.) "On average, fathers who live in a married household with their children are better able to create a family environment that is more conducive to the safety and necessary care of their children." When fathers are in the household and with the mother then they create a better environment for their children and are able to create a safer environment which makes their children receive the necessary care.
3.) "Some studies suggest that fathers’ involvement in educational activities—from reading to their children to meeting with their child’s teacher—is more important for their children’s academic success than their mother’s involvement." We usually don't think about fathers being important in this area of their child's life or having much to do with their school work but when reading this we are taught that in ALL aspects father's involvement is so important on their children.
4.) "Nurturing by a father serves several important purposes: Helps fathers build close relationships with their children, fosters psychological well-being and self-worth in their children, provides children with a healthy model of masculinity, and helps protect girls from prematurely seeking the romantic and sexual attention of men." Usually when hearing the word nurturing, we think of a mother but when fathers nurture the relationships between them and their children has significant benefits. I think this is important to realize that fathers aren't strictly for protective services but also can be on nurturing duty and it will really benefit their children.
5.) "Time spent together makes a father more sensitive to his child’s needs for love, attention, direction, and discipline." We always hear time is a valuable thing but in respect to father time, which is often hard because fathers are usually working and don't have much time, it is even more critical in many aspects to the development of a child.
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