Father's Day approaches and I see little in the works for turning the tide of dads abandoning their responsibilities. Yes, there are many, many good fathers out there working hard to build a positive legacy with their children.
The problem stands that there are far too many men who refuse to step up and be real men. They flee their roles as fathers and move on to the next woman they can dupe into a relationship.
On this Father's Day I have a number of wishes.
1.) I wish Father's Day fell in the school-year calendar so children could make a big deal out of it like they do Mother's Day. Don't get me wrong, I like Mother's Day and all it stands for, but fathers appear to be an afterthought in June. This does little to turn the tide of deadbeat dads running around.
2.) I wish the court system would abandon its bias toward women when it comes to child custody. There are more travesties of justice being carried out in our courts in this area than you can shake a stick at. We must step up and determine which parent is living the lifestyle detrimental to the child's well-being. This often does not fall to the woman.
3.) I wish fathers would take the time this day and every day thereafter to spend quality hours with their offspring. I say hours because without spending some significant time with your children you cannot expect significant results.
4.) I wish fathers would use this special day not for themselves but to sacrificially spend time with their families to let them know just how special a family can be. By turning the tables and giving back to family on Fathers Day, a dad can emphasize how important and meaningful his position can be. By giving up his own accolades and giving to his family on his own special day, a father can set an example of how to be selfless to his children and teach them that there is joy in giving.
Our country has severe problems in the fatherhood department. By burying the day in the beginning of post-school summer, we dilute any real impact the day could bring. This leaves it up to dads to step up and make Father's Day something more than our society has decreed.
Make a difference. Work hard on Father's Day at being the best father you can be.
For new dads, here's some help: Fatherhood 101: Bonding Tips for Building Loving Relationships
or check it out at Amazon at: Fatherhood 101
