Man Up

MAN-UP

Being a father? All it takes to be a dad is a simple mistake, a night of passion and lust, and one too many beers. But to be a father you must be willing to accept the responsibility and be committed to it.

The definition of father as given by Webster Dictionary is very vague and dry, but they define it as: "big daddy, dad, forebear, head, old man, pa, papa, pops, builder, leader, supporter and my favorite encourager. A man who begets or raises or nurtures a child. To procreate (offspring) as the male parent.

But being a father is so much more.

While I have failed at many different areas and situations in being a father. I strive to right my wrongs and be the best father for my children that I can possibly be. I didn't always have my father around growing up. And I know the effects that it had on my life and my children's. When fathers are absent, children suffer. Fatherless ness is linked to poverty, high school dropout rates, crime, adolescent drug use and teenage pregnancy. This problem has become systemic. As one generation experiences, and then passes on the legacy of fatherless ness. According to Fathers.com, "Fifty percent of all white children and seventy-five percent of all black children born in the last two decades are likely to live for some portion of their childhood with only their mothers."

Within a marriage, economic hardship can create a stressful and sometimes hostile environment. With men being the primary instigators of angry outburst. We then pass this trait on to our children. We as fathers have to stop this. We are supposed to be the man our children look to for support, encouragement, honor, pride, dignity and most important of all, how to treat and respect the women in our lives.

We are failing.

You have to want to be a father in order to change this trend. You have to want to be involved in your child's life. You have to want to be there for them no matter what the circumstances. You have to be their rock. And until you want to be that rock, that foundation, then you can never be a father.

Socioeconomic indicators such as education level, income, and social class have been found to be linked to father involvement.

Certain fathering roles seem to cross cultures. These include fathers as economic providers, protectors, caregivers, and teachers.

Fathers who do not live with their children tend to be more involved when they live nearby, when they have a positive relationship with the child's mother, and when they have financial resources and work experience.

Factors that negatively affect father involvement. Include conflicts with the child's mother, a lack of financial resources, a new spouse or partner, and geographic mobility.