Father’s: “Committed to a Precious Responsibility”
Paul Young’s was right: “A man doesn’t need to be flawless to be a perfect father….” In fact, we will never be flawless parents. We make mistakes. We fall short. “But,” Mr. Young wisely continues, “the commitment to his family is a precious responsibility”—a precious responsibility to become actively involved in his family’s life. A father’s active involvement in his family’s life has a rippling effect. Consider how these ripples impact the lives of those in your family.
- By playing and rough housing with his children, a father teaches his children self-control, skills to manage emotions, and perseverance. These translate into a better ability to resolve interpersonal problems as they grow older. Successfully resolving interpersonal problems means more satisfying relationships. Successful, intimate relationships growing as interpersonal problems get resolved ripples out even to this father’s grandchildren.
- An actively involved father promotes self-confidence in his children. His involvement helps them recognize their ability to achieve, boosting their chance of success in life. Research suggests that an involved father boosts his daughter’s career success in particular. Self-confidence and humble success ripples out from an involved father.
- An actively involved father will support his children’s mother as well. This reduces her stress and enhances her confidence as a mother. She becomes happier and more satisfied with her role as mother and wife. As a result, her parenting ability actually improves, giving the children the blessing of two effective parents. As a father supports his children’s mother, his children also have the privilege and blessing of witnessing a positive marriage. The effects of this blessing will ripple to your grandchildren as your children emulate your supportive marital relationship.
- An actively involved father enhances family communication. When a father models open communication, his family becomes more confident with open communication. This contributes to fewer behavior problems, greater empathy, and less anxiety and depression. Everyone feels more valued and significant in an environment of open communication, active listening, and genuine concern. A lifetime of greater emotional health ripples out from such a home.
- An actively involved father increases the likelihood that his sons will become actively involved fathers and his daughter will marry father who becomes actively involved in his family. By his active involvement, a father sets the stage for his grandchildren and his grandchildren’s grandchildren to experience the same joys of an actively involved father in their lives. That is an amazing legacy!
It’s true: a father’s “commitment to his family is a precious responsibility” that ripples through his family to enhance the lives of his wife, his children, and even his grandchildren! Start the ripple by becoming actively involved in your family today.
-2 Comments-
I was looking into some different resources to write a similar article for a new blog I just started and came across your article. I found it insightful and very well written. I really appreciated your point on the benefits of rough housingand how it teaches children self-control. I’d love for you to check out my post and tell me what you think! http://thecampuscollective.com/positive-father-involvement/
I liked your article and the website. Love to see websites encouraging positive father involvement with children. Thanks for sharing.