Fatherlessness Research Paper

There was a time in the past when being fatherlessness was far more common than it is today, but death was to blame, not divorce, desertion and out-of-wedlock births. All of these are choices that are made, not accidents. In theory, divorce need not mean disconnection. In reality, it often does. According to the Men’s Resource Network, from 1980 to 2011, the number of children living apart from their biological father rose from 21 percent to 53 percent. Of those children, Forty percent have not seen their father in at least one year. And, Fifty percent have never set foot in their father’s home. That leaves 10%----well guess what? Those 10% never meet their fathers at all. Men are not biologically as attuned to being committed fathers as women are to being committed mothers. Growing up without a father may be a root cause of many social ills—from crime to academic failure. If we truly love our children and have hope for a better nation, we must take immediate steps in addressing this problem. Our
children, especially our young men and boys, are in desperate need of positive role models and the presence of strong focused males in their lives. We would like to share with you today some of the problems that exist in a fatherless home and then offer some solutions to those problems. We also want to show you the impact that it has on daughters and sons. I. Economic Deprivation a. Loss of resources b. Expenses go up c. Child support does not get paid

II. Behavior Problems d. Behavior Disorders e. Drop out of School f. Running Away

III. Impact on Sons/Daughters g. Lack Emotional Control h. Lack of Confidence i. Making bad decisions

IV. Solutions to Economic Deprivation j. Find help (Government Programs, etc.) k. Get a Higher education (using Pell Grant) l. Get help with Child Support enforcement (DHR)

V. Solutions to Behavior Problems m. Enroll in Programs n. Find a Mentor o. Look to family for support

VI. Solutions to Impact on Sons/Daughters p. Include after school activities (Big Brothers/Sisters) q. Build Childs self-esteem/Praise them r. Encourage physical activity

In conclusion, being raise in a fatherless home will have less of an impact on a child, if the parent uses the resources that we have provided.
Economic deprivation is lessened by a parent seeking a higher education using government grants. Behavior problems can be prevented by keeping children busy in a controlled environment. Also the impact on sons and daughters can be helped by encouraging physical and outdoor activities with your family. Guys have you thought about what it takes to be a father? Girls have you thought about how hard it would be to raise a child alone? Clearly, fathers represent a lot more than just a pay check to a child; they represent safety, protection, guidance, friendship and someone to look up to. Thank you for your time and attention. The girls are giving out some handouts with all the contact information of all the programs on them, please use them or give them to a friend that may need them. Does anyone have any questions or
comments?

SOURCES:

The Men’s Resource Network, Inc.- www.themenscenter.com http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/usermanuals/fatherhood/chaptertwo.cfm http://fathersforlife.org/divorce/chldrndiv.htm The FII-Onews- Newsletter of the Father Involvement Initiative- Ontari Network, Vo. 1, Fall 2002 www.bigbrothersbigsisters.org www.mentoringbrothers.org singlemothersassistance.net singlemotherhelp.org grant-for-singlemother.com/government-programs-for-single mothers.

Christine Phillips
Tia Strong
Alisha Martell
Waniesa Sanford