It’s sad that fathers get a bad rap in mainstream media.
Men are inherently wise, instinctive, fiercely protective and we need them.
Statistics show that crime rates are directly related to whether a child was raised with or without a father. “According to the National Center for Fathering and The Fatherless Generation, 85% of youths in prison come from fatherless homes, and 71% of high school dropouts come from fatherless homes. The Center for Disease Control reports that 90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes, which is 32 times the average.”
To say families need fathers is an understatement.
This Father’s Day, we want to recognize the men who have stepped up to be Fathers and do their best to take care of their families and share 5 reasons America needs strong fathers.
A Strong Father Plays With His Children
It may make mom a little nervous, but roughhousing with dad is important to a child’s development. Play, whether it’s wrestling or competitive sports, builds resilience, teaches them to manage their emotions, and how to “bounce back” from disappointment and frustration.
Here’s a really great resource to learn more about this important part of the development of children: The Importance of Roughhousing With Your Kids
A Strong Father Provides
He offers up physical sacrifice when he gets out of bed before he’s fully rested, leaving those most important to him to do whatever has to be done to keep the bills paid and the mouth fed. He prioritizes his family over ego and comfort. A father doesn’t have to make a lot of money but he chooses his family over material things. He provides for his family first then toys come after.
He also provides love. Fathers aren’t always known for their emotions, but he is a deeply loving person. They have very strong emotions but show them differently than a mother. There’s no greater thought on his heart than those he loves and wants to serve. His heart breaks with his children when they’re in pain or in distress and he shows them how to be stronger.
A Strong Father Protects His Family
He protects both physically and emotionally. He teaches his children about the pitfalls around them and how to protect themselves. A mother teaches to be compassionate while a father teaches children how to protect themselves physically and emotionally, not be taken advantage of, and how to set boundaries.
It used to be the main way a father protected his family, from physical danger, predators, and other threats to their survival. Fathers have had to fight in wars (and still do). Today, fathers still protect on a daily basis and while we may not be under as much physical danger, a father fiercely protects his family spiritually, mentally, and emotionally.
When a child cries on the shoulder of his father, there is safety and an opportunity for healing that only a father can provide
A Strong Father Establishes Order
He is firm and the epitome of” tough love”. Mothers are gifted to be more emotional and fathers are more objectionable. They don’t look at things through emotional filters, they see what is and what needs to be done. They teach their children to do the same.
He is strong, steady, and immovable while still being a patient and kind leader. He faces fears head-on and leads by example.
A Strong Father is Honest and Works For What He Has
The influence of a father is impossible to measure, but we do have enough information to know that children that grow up in a home with an honest father have a stronger moral compass and are much less likely to engage in illegal activities.
Fathers set an example of hard work, sacrifice, and delayed gratification. They teach their children the value of contributing to their homes and communities, and to give more than they take.
At 1984Farms we strive to support your right as a father to 1) Raise your children in a way that feels right to you, 2) Live your life so you can do what you feel called to do, and 3) Have access to food that you don’t have to worry about!
Thank you to the men who strive to play, protect, provide, establish order, and instill integrity within their families.
Do you know a man like this? Consider sharing this with him and letting him know how much you appreciate and admire his strength and dedication.