Let us first look at some important statistics published by the National Fatherhood Initiative.
The Effects of Father Absence in the Home of Minor Children:
Children of Father-Absent homes are:
- Five times more likely to live in poverty.
- Three times more likely to fail in school.
- Two times more likely to develop emotional or behavioral problems.
- Two times more likely to abuse drugs.
- Two times more likely to be abused and neglected.
- Two times more likely to become involved in crime.
- Three times more likely to commit suicide.
Compare the facts with children having Father’s involved in their lives:
- Better cognitive (“knowing and perceiving”) outcomes.
- Higher self-esteem and less depression as teenagers.
- Higher grades, test scores, and overall academic achievement.
- Lower levels of drug and alcohol use.
- Higher levels of empathy and other pro-social behavior.
I recently had the opportunity to interview Michael Newsom, an employee of the Montgomery County Child Support Enforcement Agency (“CSEA”). … View Full Article → “An Interview with Michael Newsom, Fatherhood Coordinator for the Montgomery County Child Support Enforcement Agency”