How important do you think having a father in a family is?

Question

Personally I feel that having a father in th family is VERY important, especially an involved father.

Just curious to see what you all think.

I know there are alot of bad fathers, or abusive fathers out there. And I feel for anyone who's father left them, because they were too imature and iresponsible to want to help raise their own children.

I have friends who's fathers walked out on them when they were young, and some were problem children because of not having that male role model in the home, and some were just fine, because there was that male role model through either a grandpa, uncle, or even a pastor, or men in the church they attended who had kids and invited them along to outings.

I think a loving caring, devoted and involved father, who puts his family before anything else is extremely important to have.

It makes me think of a statement I heard a while back, it says, any guy can be a father, but it takes a REAL MAN to be a dad.

Answer 1

I agree. A father teaches his children through example and involvement how a MAN is. For his daughters, he shows her what to expect from her future husband, how women should be treated etc...for his sons he teaches how a woman should be treated...etc... Simply put, if the father figure is absent, then both sons and daughters have either a negative idea on MEN and FATHERS and HUSBANDS or none at all, and are searching and seeking for that love and reassurance that they are lovable....and IF, there is no FATHER, then an Uncle, Grandfather, or close male friend of the family who is an excellent example of MANHOOD should be involved with the kids....

Answer 2

Well, personally I think an involved father is good, but doesn't necessarily have to be in the family. I'm a single mom of 3 daughters and their dad and I live over 3000 miles apart. He's involved a lot more now than he was when he was 15 minutes away. If the children know they are loved and feel that they are getting quality time then that is the main thing, quality over quantity - very important. I do, however, think it is important for children to have male role models in their lives - whether that be from Uncles, grandpas or cousins or the like. I think it's important for the male role models to be family members if possible. I don't think a father needs to be in the family if the family structure is broken down, or if the father/mother relationship is at a loss. Children see and understand a lot more than they are given credit for. It will damage their little beings much more to have an unhealthy parent relationship than it will be to have single, happy, involved loving parents. Hope that helps. :-)

Answer 3

A good father is a powerful role model, for a son its someone to show him that he can be tender yet strong. Encourage and teach his son to respect men and women. And with his daughters encourage them that they can do anything a son can do. When you see a good father pushing a baby carriage proudly or see a father soothing his baby in the check out line without a woman in sight you sigh and say that is a good man and a wonderful father. There are alot of men that need to learn that but there are alot of good fathers out there as well.

Answer 4

I think you need to re-cast the question in these terms: Is having a BAD father in the family more important than not having a father?

Because, realistically, that's the issue a lot of families face.

There is no question that having an involved, loving, caring, honest, responsible, wonderful father is better than not having a father.

There is also no question that having no father is better than having a father who is physically, sexually or emotionally abusive, a father who is addicted to drugs or alcohol, or a father who is emotionally unavailable or irresponsible to the point of endangering his kids. At least for me, there is no question that it's better to be fatherless than to have a father like that.

But where do you draw the line? Is it better to have a father who loves his kids but cheats on his wife than no father at all? A father who is short-tempered and cold a lot of the time but meets his financial obligations and isn't overtly abusive? What about a father who is fun to be around and whose kids adore him but who will lie as easily as he breathes and has no sense of responsibility?

I don't think you can cast a question this important in terms of black-and-white, because there are a lot of shades of grey involved. JMO.

Answer 5

I was eating lunch with two friends today, actually I'd only count one as my friend. Niether grew up with a father. One is a whiney little wuss. And the other had disciple problems in school that I won't go into in the interest of privacy. Me I had a dad growing up. I don't consider my self to be whiner and I've never been in serious trouble. This is only a small example, but it's good enough for me.

Answer 6

Both parents are hugely important. A father teaches his son how to be a man. He teaches his daughter what to look for in a man. Hopefully, in his interaction with the mother, their children learn what a healthy relationship looks like. Fathers are essential.

Answer 7

i think of the two mom's and Father's play an significant function in the kinfolk. some mom's visit artwork and a few Father's go out to artwork yet the two supply the affection, help, nutrition, kinfolk existence and the stability of a loving kinfolk whether the determine's are at the same time or no longer.

Answer 8

I think it's important for kids to have two loving and involved parents in their life. Just having someone there is not enough. You need to be involved in their day to day life activities, know the person that is developing and support them in their activities.

Answer 9

I lost my good for nothing father when I was 6 yrs old. I can tell you it was no great loss losing him because he was an abusive alcoholic. But i can tell you that its very, very important to have a father in a child's life. It changed my life profoundly.

Answer 10

My father left before I was born. I am sixty years old and still feel that I missed something very important. I had a wonderful stepfather but not my "real father."