21 hours ago
Father's Day Balances Celebration With Remembrance
Father's Day is often a time of gathering over a good meal and perhaps some nostalgic or homemade gifts, with many coming together to honor the impact fathers have on the family unit.
The day can also bring a bittersweet pang if our father has already passed or the relationship is strained and painful. Yet, Father's Day still holds space for reflection and even redirection in the way we view fathers and their important role.
Father's Day is observed in the United States on the third Sunday of June. The nation's first Father's Day took place on June 19, 1910, in Washington state. However, it wasn't until 1972—58 years after President Woodrow Wilson officially recognized Mother's Day—that Father's Day became a national holiday in the United States.
There have been discussions about eliminating Mother's Day and Father's Day in favor of a single celebration called Parent's Day. Nevertheless, the distinct and valued contributions of mothers and fathers continue to be recognized and honored separately.
When discussing the significant influence of a supportive and nurturing father on the family dynamic, being aware of the statistics regarding families without a father plays its own role.
In 2023, approximately 7.3 million single mothers raised children under the age of 18, compared to around 1.6 million single fathers, according to the United States Census Bureau.
To better understand the impact of a constructive father figure, we need to consider how a father's absence can affect children's emotional and social development. Yet, while this overview addresses general trends, it does not diminish the reality that many children thrive in supportive and nurturing homes led by single parents, whether male or female.
Additionally, it is important to recognize that not all mothers and fathers provide positive environments for their children; thus, their presence or absence can be harmful or beneficial, depending on the individual and their circumstances.
That being noted, research indicates that engaged fathers can lead to better educational outcomes, higher self-esteem, and healthier relationships with their children. Additionally, school-aged children who maintain strong relationships with their fathers are to depression and disruptive behavior while showing more prosocial tendencies.
Billy Graham said, 'A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society.'
Former President George W. Bush put it this way during the 2001 National Summit on Fatherhood:
The fatherhood movement is diverse, but it is united by one belief: fathers have a unique and irreplaceable role in the lives of children.
Nearly every man who has a child wants to be a good father, I truly believe that. It's a natural longing of the human heart to care for and cherish your child. But this longing must find concrete expression.
Raising a child requires sacrifice, effort, time and presence. And there is a wide gap between our best intentions and the reality of today's society. More than one-third of American children are living apart from their biological fathers. Of these, five out of six do not see their fathers more than once a week. And 40 percent of the children who live in fatherless households have not seen their fathers in at least a year.
The good news is that fathers can choose daily to become who they want to be in their family's life, regardless if their dad was a positive role model or was absent from their life. Legacies are created in the now, and what fathers invest in their children today will leave a lasting imprint well beyond child-raising years and into generations to come.
No father is perfect, and it is easy to become discouraged and overwhelmed at times, both as a parent and as a child. Knowing we have a loving and supportive Heavenly Father who will always be there to guide and inspire all of us offers a fresh chance to create and exhibit a life filled with love and resilience.
