Saturday, June 17, 2006

Father's Day 2006

Although I find myself almost constantly pressed for time lately, I'd be remiss if I didn't take a few moments and say a couple of things.

To you, dear reader, and to my brother Webster, Happy Father's Day. The importance of fathers has been getting some much-needed attention in the last week. Of course, this depends on where you get your news (I'd recommend talk radio and the internet).

Here's some startling statistics on the father-less (source: "Fathers linked to healthy families" http://patriotpost.us/)

"According to the CDC, DoJ, DHHS and the Bureau of the Census, the 30 percent of children who live apart from their fathers will account for 63 percent of teen suicides, 70 percent of juveniles in state-operated institutions, 71 percent of high-school dropouts, 75 percent of children in chemical-abuse centers, 80 percent of rapists, 85 percent of youths in prison, and 85 percent of children who exhibit behavioral disorders. In addition, 90 percent of homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes. In fact, children born to unwed mothers are 10 times more likely to live in poverty as children with fathers in the home."

So, take a moment on Sunday and appreciate a dad. Better yet, when you hear people downplay the importance of them between today and Father's Day 2007, be aware of it, and the consequences of a society that doesn't value fatherhood.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I know there are dads out there who are in a financial bind and feel that they can't afford to keep up with their child support payments but they love their kids. Here's a word of advice from the daughter of a "deadbeat Dad" -send each of your kids $1.00 a week with a note that says you're thinking of them. It may not buy groceries, but at least your kids will feel loved. It could make a huge difference to them.