Being a Dad is hard. You have to learn when to discipline, when to encourage, when to love, when to play, when not to embarrass, when to embarrass and do all of those at the exact same time in different ways, in different places for your different children! As Father’s we are helping shape our children (either good or bad) whether we realize it or not. Much responsibility is placed on the Dads in our culture and rightly so. When people excel they thank their Dad. When things go wrong they blame their dad (Same can go for Mom’s too but since its Father’s day you get a break).

 

These statistics show just how important Fathers are in our society. (Now I understand that there are single moms that have no choice because of a father leaving and are doing an amazing job raising children without a dad!!)

•  78% of the nation’s jail and prison inmates grew up in a fatherless household.
• 80% of young gang members are out of fatherless homes.
• 64% of girls are more likely to have premarital sex when there is no father figure.
• 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes.
• 80% of rapists with anger problems come from fatherless homes.
• 85% of all children who show behavior disorders come from fatherless homes.

That is sad….

Now there are always exceptions to those stats of people who got out of theses situations or decided they wouldn’t allow family to dictate their future but for the majority having a Dad matters. I’m not talking about a Dad that was man enough to help create you, I’m talking about a Dad that is man enough to be a Father and that is there for you.

If you’re a Father, or  if you ever want to be a father, take responsibility now. Learn to communicate with your children and wife and learn to say I’m sorry. Being a Dad and a Man are 2 different things. Your children (and even wife) need to hear you say you’re sorry for things. Asking my children for forgiveness for blowing up or for saying something hurtful is very humbling. It also shows them I care for them, love them and I’m leading the way in being willing to apologize.

I have 2 children. Jonah is 12 and Jada is 9 and they are so different. I can see my strengths and my weaknesses in them. Everything I do or say can influence them now and for the future. Whether we like it or not, we as parents, are raising mini me’s everyday!!

What to do now….

Love, Love and Love some more. Men, the way you love and treat your wife will be an example to your son. He is learning how to treat a woman from you. Your daughters will look for a husband that loves and cares for her as we do.   It’s ok to have feelings and to show them to our kids.

Lead strong. It’s not too late to start no matter what age your kids are. Lead them to Jesus, lead them to church, lead them with everything you are and even with the things you are not.

Play, wrestle, do nails, Xbox, dolls, sports and everything else your kids like to do; let them win some too. Sometimes Dad’s are tired and we just don’t want too, but for me those are the times where I end up having the most fun.

Just be encouraged on this Father’s Day to be the man, the father and the dad that God created you to be.

Go Dad Go,

 

J

 

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