Most of our country’s problems can be traced back to some dad falling down on the job. Obviously, that’s an overstatement and untrue. But not by much. The LORD God Almighty saw fit to set the father as the head of the household. He was ordained to lead the family. And when he doesn’t, when Dad is absent as the role is being called, things fall apart.
Bad behavior.
When kids don’t have a male authority figure in their lives, they seek that attention elsewhere. Because they weren’t taught the right way to gain attention, they try to obtain it in any way they can. Often, this presents itself in acting out and misbehavior. According to the CDC, “85% of all children who show behavior disorders come from fatherless homes.” That’s more than 8 out of 10 kids.
Problems at school.
When Dad isn’t involved at home or not home at all, school tends to take a back seat to everything else. I’ve rarely met any kids who simply love school and wish weekends didn’t exist. But most recognize the importance of education and the opportunities it presents. So, when school gets difficult AND mom and dad are present to encourage their kids, they push on to graduation. But if one of those elements is missing, the kid quits. If you surveyed all high school dropouts, you’d find 71% of them were dealing with an absent father.
Teen pregnancy.
When my wife was pregnant with our first child, and we found out we were having a girl, a dad gave me some advice I’ve never forgotten. He said, “Make sure your daughter knows her daddy loves her, or she’ll find a man who will.” He was right. The Department of Health and Human Services states that an overwhelming majority (71%) of pregnant teens don’t have an involved dad in their lives.
Increased drug use.
Substance abuse runs ramped in our country and the world, for that matter. People hurt and want to find an escape from their pain. One of the most common feelings they want to alleviate is the feeling of abandonment. Therefore, when we dads aren’t involved in our kids’ lives or are altogether absent, we increase their potential of turning to drugs when life gets hard instead of turning to us.
More likely to spend time in jail.
The Department of Justice reports that 75% of long-term inmates come from homes that didn’t have dads. As the degree of the crime grows worse, the likelihood of an absent father grows as well.
The list goes on and on:
- poverty
- homelessness
- abuse
- exploitation
- lack of identity
- increased mortality rate
All of these increase among the fatherless. I know this article points out certain statistics, but they are so high they can’t go unmentioned. Absent fathers are destroying future generations. To be clear, you can be an absent father even if you live in the same home as your kids. It’s possible to be physically present but not involved. I’ll leave you with this question: Are you intentionally planning valuable time with your kids?
