To be a good father, you have to be a good man.
Not perfect. After all, there are no perfect dads or men.
You just have to be there.
Sadly, there are too many dads who aren’t. Twenty-five million children in the United States go to bed each night without their biological father in the home.
Statistically, these children are more likely to grow up in financially difficult circumstances and more likely to drop out of school. Boys are more likely to be involved in a violent crime. Girls are more likely to be pregnant as a teenager.
By virtually every measure, children fall into crisis when Dad’s not around.
Also detrimental are dads who are physically present but emotionally absent. Some guys are under intense pressure to make ends meet for their family, and they’re exhausted when they get home. But more money isn’t necessarily the answer. Other dads have high paying jobs but are still not involved in their children’s lives.
The bottom line is a lot of men, for a lot of reasons, are struggling to engage with their kids. As a result, millions of children are hurting and wondering, “Does my dad really love me?”
That’s what makes our next couple of broadcasts so important. Carey Casey, the CEO of The National Center for Fathering (at fathers.com), is with us to talk about how dads can be champions in the lives of their children by being good men who are physically and emotionally present.
Along the way, we’ll share some practical and simple ideas for connecting with your kids, like attending parent-teacher conferences or eating lunch with them at school from time to time.
We can work hard, make lots of money, maybe even run a corporation, but the greatest things we can accomplish in life are being a man of God, a good husband with a strong marriage, and a loving, engaged father.
Before I close, I want to say that if you’re a divorced dad, we’re here for you at Focus on the Family. Your situation may not be ideal, but your children still need you to be involved in their lives.
If you’re a single mom and there’s no father there for your kids, Focus on the Family is here for you, too. We encourage you to seek out a male role model for your children through your church or your extended family, or maybe there’s just a friend in your life who could be a good influence in your child’s life. And don’t hesitate to get in touch with us if you feel we can be of help to you in some way.
In the meantime, join us for this two-day program, “Being a Champion to Your Wife and Kids,” on your local radio station, online at your convenience, or via our free, downloadable mobile phone app.
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