The Critical Role of the Father
1. The effect a father has on his daughter.
- When a girl is looking for a potential spouse, she looks for qualities that are like those of her father. Thus, if the girl’s father is hard-working, kind, and considerate, she will look for those same qualities in a lover. Girls look for what is familiar to them because they know how to handle it.
2. The effect a father has on his son.
- Boys look to their father as a model for what they wish to become. They strive to follow the characteristics their father demonstrates. If a father is strict and demanding, the son will be so as well. If the father is kind and loving, the son will follow suit.
3. Children who have a good relationship with their father are more likely to be successful.
- Studies have shown that girls who have a good relationship with their father tend to be more successful in math. Similarly, boys who have a good relationship with their dad tend to have better grades and perform better on achievement tests. All children who have a strong bond with their father tend to have fewer behavioral problems and are more likely to be against alcohol and drug abuse.
My father is an extraordinary man. He was always very involved with the children while we were growing up. As mentioned in a previous post I come from a family of all girls. My dad is big into sports so I’m sure that was a slight disappointment. Yet, he loves his daughters so much and didn’t treat us as if we were fragile. He taught us the importance of hard work. Whenever he had a task to be done, he would have us help him with it and teach us as we did so. We would mow the lawn, handle the garden, and would go out and shovel the snow after or even during a snowstorm. Recently I had the opportunity of helping my dad feed and take care of cattle. There was one calf whose mother died after he was born, so I would go with my dad in the evenings and occasionally at 5:00 in the morning to bottle feed the calf. All of these experiences are wonderful memories that I hold dear. I am so thankful for the principles my father has taught me.
Another way in which my father was involved with his children is how playful he was. We still to this day comment on the fun times we had when dad would play “bucking bronco” or “chances” with us. Even now I will still have wrestling matches with my dad (I let him win 😉). My sisters and I all played basketball growing up, and there was never a time that my father would say no to going to the gym and working with us. I wish I would have used that opportunity more often.
We were very fortunate growing up that my father had a job in which he could be home before we got home from school. It was so fun to come home and be able to hang out with dad after school. A couple of years ago my dad lost that job. He never skipped a beat though and quickly found another one. This job requires him to work until 6:00 in the evening. There was a noticeable difference in my day not coming home to my father after school. He truly plays a crucial role in our family.
In my future family I hope that my husband will have the important opportunity of spending quality time with the family. Because of the example of my father, I hope to ensure that my husband will find a job that will allow him to spend more time at home. I will try my best not to get in the way of his interaction with our children and will speak highly of him to my children.
I believe it is important to help my husband set aside time to spend time with the children at some point during the day. I also hope to find activities in which my children can turn to their father for help or support like I could turn to mine in sports. When my husband is working on something I plan to encourage my children to go help him and learn from him.
There are so many valuable things that are best learned from the example and teachings of the father and I want my kids to have that experience. Father’s play a crucial role in a child’s life. It is a shame that it is a role so commonly overlooked.
Source: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-important-role-of-dad_b_5489093
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