Speaking honestly about family can be difficult as more and more of us experience the ripple effect of fractured homes. To really acknowledge the importance of an intact home can appear to be mean or insulting to the people involved, or seem to put a scarlet D on parents - and children. But if we can't speak truly about the family, what can we speak truly about?
In an article today, Science Daily has some interesting things to say about parents, particularly dads:
"Compared with other children with absentee dads, kids whose fathers were active parents in early and middle childhood had fewer behaviour problems and higher intellectual abilities as they grew older -- even among socio-economically at-risk families...."
The study showed that kids don't necessarily do poorly without their fathers, but on the average the impact of a father is crucial. This is not the first study to show this, and I'm sure it won't be the last.
As a son blessed with a good father, I grieve for those who have not or will not experience the blessings of a good dad. As a teacher and coach, I will do my part to fill a void in the kids whose dads are gone. As a pastor, I will pray that God provides a Father's formation in those whose dads have left them alone.
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