Dad's Do Make a Difference

Recently two professions journals published information regarding the difference fathers make in the lives of their children.  Personality and Social Psychology Review published the results of a meta-analysis of several decades of parenting studies.  One interesting finding was how much a father means to his children.  Kids who feel rejected by their fathers show higher rates of behavioral problems, delinquency, depression, and substance abuse more that those who feel rejected by their mothers. While rejection by a mother has negative consequences for a child, the degree of negative consequences for fathers is greater.  The Journal of Early Adolescence published a study suggesting children whose fathers use an authoritative parenting style show more persistence than other children, regardless of the mother's parenting style.  Persistence in these children was linked to lower rates of delinquency and greater involvement in school. 
Dads, don't be too quick to think less of your role in parenting.  Maybe you need to rethink your pursuit of divorce, or how much time you spend working compared to the time you spend with each of your kids, or exercising more loving authority in the lives of your children.  If you have been nothing more than an impregnator of women, maybe you need to connect with the children you have abandoned.  Ladies, maybe you need to rethink your pursuit of divorce, or encourage your husband in his role as a parent.  Single ladies, maybe before you allow a guy to be intimate with you, you need to insist on a commitment in marriage.   And maybe we need as a society need to rethink the ways we have been changing the definition of family in recent years. 
Blessings,
Dr. Paul