Professor Omar Moran
English 103
1/31/12
The Importance of Fatherhood
Throughout history fatherhood has evolved from the hunter gather, to the Pre-Industrial, to the Industrial, to the modern 21st century (Burgess). Through each era the role of a father involved him to simply provide for his family, which meant going away and not spend time with them. Even in the 21st century fathers are required to spend a great deal of time away from their wives and kids. Being a father entitles much more than just providing for the family. It entitles a father to bond and help raise his kids. Without the presence of a father, kids grow up struggling through life. The role of a father is to provide support and positive interaction in a child’s life, without these elements a child loses the ability to fully experience life. Ashley Rhodes the author of “Fatherhood is Essential” covers these main points in her essay by providing examples of her own experiences with her father. Support in a child’s life is one of the key elements that shapes the type of person that child will become in the future.
The support of father doesn’t only shape the future of a child, but it also establishes an in depth connection between father and child. Without that connection a dad loses sight of what is occurring in his kid’s life. For example, in Rhodes essay she mentions, “Dads are suppose to be there for the good times and in the bad... when my boyfriend dumped me and I cried for three days…he still doesn’t know about it” (Rhodes). The lack of emotional support with a child leads to a father being oblivious to his child’s personality because he wasn’t there to see what emotions were let out in different situations. “Children living with a never-married mother are more likely to have been treated for emotional problems” (Remez). That is a great reason why the support of a father is needed, kids shouldn’t have to have emotional problems because it takes a toll on the way
Bibliography: Burgess, Adrienne: The Making of a Modern Father. Fatherhood Reclaimed . Vermillion : Vermillion , 1997 . Daly, Sarah and Allen, Kerry. The Effects of Father Involvement: An Updated Research Summary of the Evidence. Ontario: University of Guelph, 2007. LeFebvre, Joan E. Why Fathers Are Important. 31 January 2012 <http://www.babyzone.com/mom_dad/fatherhood/article/fathers-are-important>. Remez, L. "Children Who Don 't Live with Both Parents Face Behavioral Problems." Family Planning Perspectives (1992 ). Rhodes, Ashley. "Fatherhood Is Essential." Repetto, Jane E. Aaron and Ellen Kuhl. The Compact Reader. Springfield: Bedford/St. Martins, 2010. 259-261. Wikipedia.org