Interesting Facts About Fathers

"Any man can be a father but it takes someone special to be a Dad." -- Anne Geddes

 

 

It's not an easy thing, being the best father you can be. But you're making a huge difference in your child's life -- now, and every day of your child's future. Every hug you give, every joke you share, every moment that you listen patiently, every time you take a deep breath and see things from your child's perspective, every time you role model for your child how to show up with integrity, you're shaping your child into a person who will make you proud. We celebrate you! So if you're a Dad, please accept my deepest gratitude.  Whatever else you may accomplish in your life, in my opinion, it pales compared to your role as a father.

We can’t be in this world without our fathers. They have always been that one reliable man in our lives, and they have always treated us with a stern yet loving hand. We have always looked up to them as an inspiration over the years. We will never cease to follow their footsteps and will always make the right decision as they have taught us.

 

Now, to honor the contribution of Fathers, let's consider some research findings that may surprise you. 

 

Did you know that:

 

• Children whose fathers are highly involved with them in a positive way do better in school, demonstrate better psychological well-being, are less likely to get into trouble of any kind, and ultimately attain higher levels of education and economic self-sufficiency. One of the most important factors in girls’ academic achievement is their father’s belief in them. 

 

 

• When fathers are involved in their children's education, the kids are more likely to get better grades, enjoy school, and participate in extracurricular activities. 

• Whether a girl has early and/or unprotected sex is greatly influenced by whether her father was loving and supportive of her. Adolescent girls living in homes without their fathers are 3 times more likely to engage in sexual relations by the time they turn 15, and 5 times more likely to become a teen mother.

• Fathers who take a week or more off to spend with their newborns are closer to their child at every stage of the child's life, right up into young adulthood. 

• Teenagers watch an average of 21 hours of television per week. They spend only 35 minutes per week talking with their fathers. 

• 34% of kids in the USA today live without their fathers. But that doesn't mean you can't be intimately involved with your child's life. Sure, it's harder. But you can do hard things. That's something you want to model for your kids, right?

• A new study shows that fathers who share household chores with their wives tend to have more ambitious daughters as well as daughters with more broad definitions of gender roles.

 

 

• Studies show that the absence of a biological father increases the risk of child maltreatment.

• In the U.S., there are about 2 million single fathers.

• The amount of time U.S. fathers spend with their children has tripled since 1965. The number of stay-at-home dads has nearly doubled since 1989.

• A “patrophile” is a child who has more affection for the father than the mother.  

 

 

Pretty impressive list, isn't it? But there is so much more. More research is coming out every day substantiating the important role fathers play in their children's lives. But we don't need scientists to tell us that. You can see it in the face of any child looking up at his or her father. Happy Father's Day!