Being a FATHER is the most important job in the world

[LogicBomber]

Yes you heard me right... FATHER.

You may constantly see people like Oprah state things like "a Mother is the most important job in the world", backed with unsubstantiated claims and fabricated reasoning. You may see most media ads pushing mothers as brilliant super hero's while portraying dads as bumbling idiots.

We live in a society where any negative suggestions or criticism of women is met with massive backlash while bashing men is a completely acceptable practice, So we are expected to ignore facts and blindly follow the "girl power" initiative, patting women on the back even when statistically men deserve it.

In the world where facts matter, Fatherhood has the most important and drastic effects on the world as a whole.

Kids without the influence of fathers are a high percentage of youth suicides, homeless youth, substance abusers, youth with behavioral issues, school drop outs, youth in prison and institutions, and juvenile crime. They are more likely to be victims of child abuse, to suffer physical, emotional, or educational neglect at home without a father.

Girls without a Father are 53% more likely to marry as teenagers, 711% more likely to have children as teenagers, and 92% more likely to get divorced (feeding the cycle of fatherless children).

Fathers are a major factor in a better society.

Children with fathers are more likely to do well in school, have healthy self esteem, exhibit empathy and pro-social behavior, and avoid high-risk behaviors such as drug use, truancy, and criminal activity compared to children without fathers.

Studies on parent-child relationships and child well-being show that father love is an important factor in predicting the social, emotional, and cognitive development and functioning of children and young adults.

There are many cognitive benefits of a father which can be attributed to the above statistics...

- Studies show children benefit more and get better language skills from their father reading them bedtime stories over a mother.

- Dad's let kids take more risks. Allowing children to become more independent.

- Dad's are more playful, they are more apt to play just like the kids do.

- Dad's wait before jumping in to stop a situation like arguments. Teaching children how to deal with situations on their own. Where mom usually mediates to prevent "hurt feelings".

- Dad is more strict and gives tough love with discipline in contrast to a mama's over-analysis of (and talk about) the situation. Kids learn consequence and respect.

- Dad's allow kids to go "off schedule" more often, missing a nap or staying up late. Kids need this once in a while. They feel empowered, special. They know it's a privilege and it strengthens the relationship with the child and the parent.

SO the next time you see a "Dad is stupid, Mom is a hero" TV ad or Show... or if you hear Someone like Oprah rant about how motherhood is the most important job in the world... You can let them pat themselves on the back if it makes them feel good about themselves, but understand the difference between fabrication and fact.

*And for those who jump in to try and shame "absent fathers" as an excuse to ignore the above post, please note that a large percentage of absent fathers are absent because the mother makes it that way.

SOURCES:

Links to all the stated reports and studies

https://www.fathers.com/statistics-and-research/the-consequences-of-fatherlessness/

Other Sources:

https://www.fira.ca/cms/documents/29/Effects_of_Father_Involvement.pdf

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/children/11895432/Bedtime-stories-its-better-if-dad-reads-them.html

https://www.parenting.com/article/why-dads-parenting-technique-can-be-better

https://www.innocentdads.org/rights.htm

[TrulyPink28]

I applaud you for writing this article. I respect and uphold your statements. I think women don't realize that their part in supporting the father of their children is crucial. I wish more fathers were like you and played their role which highly contributes to a child's sense of self, sense of security and identity. I love men and wish more women would see your value in society. Thank you.

[ManOnFire]

Nice Take. But I do think both parents' jobs are very important. The difference is as you said though, moms get glorified more. I'm a guy who loves my mom a lot but I'm also smart enough to know that not all moms are great. Society and the media try to hold men and fathers in contempt for all the bad dads out there, and it seems to be that men have to apologize for all the bad dads before we're allowed to be respected and acknowledged as dads.

Women kill their kids at higher rates than men, and women use their kids to play custody and child support games as ways to get at the man, yet society still thinks moms are the greatest. We don't hold them in contempt for their poor maternity, yet should. Any woman can spread her legs and have a kid, but it doesn't make her a good mom. And any woman can still have the kids while the dad is long gone, but even a lot of single moms are rotten themselves.

So if we can let all that slide, then I don't see why we can't uphold fathers and value them like what you're saying.

[Napoli]

My little girl is the biggest daddy's girl. Her dad and I were never in a proper relationship, We were friends with benefits for a while, and I didn't expect him to actually want to b involved. The person I knew before didn't say "father-material" to me at all, and I think the relationship they have has surprised everyone.
Having said that, I don't think it's fair to say that it wouldn't matter if I or other mothers were around or not. I don't think of myself of any less important to her than her dad. You think a father can fill the role of mother, but there would always be something missing. When you carry a child, you develop a bond that is comparable to nothing and replaced by no one.
Also, If something happened to me, I don't doubt or worry for a second about whether he could or would take care of her, but I would hope upon hope, or make sure that she would have strong woman around, they need that as much as they need a strong male figure.

I also don't believe that all children raised without a father around are doomed. I was raised by a single mother and nothing terrible has happened. Lots of people raised in one parent families are doing just fine.

I know you seem to want to blame every single thing that goes wrong in someone's life on a woman, but I think that's more down to your own deep disrespect for women than actual facts.
There are some women who are bitches and keep, or try to keep their child's father away for their own fucked up reasons, but there are also a lot of selfish, immature guys who walk away on their own and don't look back. They aren't all just poor victims of cruel mothers.

So while yes, being a father is important, Give women a break.

Maybe when you're a parent, you'll understand a bit better.

[LogicBomber]

It's funny how a lot of the women on here are getting the "It doesn't matter if you exist or not" message from this. The mother role surely has it's benefits, but statistically speaking, it has been shown that a fathers role is pivotal in the development of the child.
Children without fathers are not "doomed" but they are significantly more likely to face one or more the of the many issues listed above. Obviously there are those who may not have become homeless or criminal, faced depression or suicide, became abusive or emotionally stunted, had issues in school or learning, etc. None of the statistics say "100% of" for any of the issues.
But girls being 711% more likely to have children as teenagers, and 92% more likely to get divorced (feeding the cycle of fatherless children), is massive. So those few who get through are lucky.

I am married with 2 step kids and 2 of my own. I respect and love women. That's a poor shaming tactic. Stats are stats, like them or not.

[Relentless_Hippie]

Very nicely done! I agree with everything written I've even learned in developmental psychology that fathers are actually more crucial in child development than mothers. There's nothing wrong or evil or sexist about it, that's just the way it is. Women who complain about absent fathers are mad because of their own poor choices in a partner. They refuse to take any responsibility in the matter but the truth is, if they had made a better choice in who they gave their bodies to they wouldn't be in their predicament.

[PT1911]

It's as if people forgot about these things called "consequences"...

[Relentless_Hippie]

@PT1911 Lol yes exactly!

[EmiliaB]

My mother has never spoken badly about my "father" he simply just didn't want to be one.

Despite never once even trying to get to know my sister or I, my sister invited him to her wedding a couple of years ago & he got his new wife to call and say he wouldn't be there.
My son is a year old now, and my dad ( I use the term very loosely) isn't the slightest bit interested in him either. Neither of my ex's parents are around, which leaves my mother as my son's only grandparent, aswell as being everything to my sister & I, and she is amazing. When my son's dad & I broke up and he moved out, my mother even paid his rent for a while.

Not once did my sister or I miss our father while we were growing up. We had everything we needed. I am actually glad my dad wasn't around.

[Relentless_Hippie]

@EmiliaB Okay and did your mother have her father in her life? A woman who has had a man in her life and an appropriate appreciation for the men in her life might be able to raise fine children and give them a good life. A woman who has never had a man in her life doesn't know how to bring up kids properly, and especially raise a boy into a man. You guys might be the exception, but the majority of children raised by single mothers aren't you guys. Also keep in mind, this was the man your mother chose to procreate with. She should have made a better choice. My mother is an abusive deadbeat and all the children raised by her are mentally disturbed. She didn't do anything for me growing up, of course it's her fault but it's also my father's fault. Choose your partners wisely. Everyone knows sex is for making kids, don't be having kids with people who are rotten or don't want them.

[Azara]

Petsonally I think being a human rights activist is more important than mother or father. kids should be raised in group homes with state certified competent compassionate people who want to be there and are qualified to be there and get laid to be there. Parents Dave way too much to deal with even if they are decent parents they will fuck up kids bc that's just how things are set up. Childhood is totally lick of the draw and it's not fair to children. No matter how many ra Ra speeches we give to parents it won't stop abuse neglect poverty incompetency discrimination... Society isn't fit for nuclear families. Being a mother or father is not powerful enough axouaurion to effect any real change. I do think how'd we that being a great intent is about that not about what we'd you are. But if you want to claim dads a seat at parent if the universe award her face to be there from birth every step of the way. People expect mothers to be everything for kids that's why the prayer. It's shity condensation for being a shave to your baby did the first ten years.

[LogicBomber]

I would beg to differ. Most activist believe in nonsensical ideas, complain about foolishness and push ridiculous propaganda and generally do more harm to society than good.
Humans have existed for a long time without the need for activism of any kind. The nuclear family was more stable and statistically there was less of all the negatives we have today and people (mainly women) were much happier. People didn't simply pop pills to "regulate" what they felt they should be.
While some mothers may feel like slaves to their child for the first 10 years, men are busy dying to provide for that same family. Generally in more strenuous jobs, longer hours, more stress, have less options for health issues, etc.

[somebodysaycheese]

BOTH parents matter equally. You see fucked up kids whos moms werent present all the time It takes a man and woman to make a kid it takes a man and a woman to raise a kid. The : girl" power as you claim it is because most households are of single mothers. Men a lot of the time leave , they dont want to be present or active. This is fact, if you disagree I ask was your mother a single mother or any your friends come from single households? And your mother did the best she could. Now, men need to know they are just important and even if the pregnancy was unplanned like 99 percent of pregnancies he should still be active in the childs life. I feel like so many of you mean whos fathers where absent really didn't care for you and grew up with a mother head of household HATE WOMEN, You blame your mother for your fathers absence. LETS be real if we wanted to be their he would have, but the thing is he didn't want not enjoy the single life of no troubles. What you should be doing is thanking your mothers for doing what they could AND asking fathers to step up and thank those fathers that are ever present in their childs life.

[LogicBomber]

I guess you haven't looked at any of the sources. It's actually been proven time and time again that your proclamation is actually not true. Yes there may be some fucked up kids without moms, there may be fucked up kids with both parents... that doesn't change the overall picture. Without a father the child will statistically end up damaged in some major way regardless of how much the mother does. It has NOTHING to do with how "great" the mother is or thinks she is... it's mere statistical truth that the child will still end up screwed up. This is FACT. It is irrelevant why the father isn't there, be it her keeping him from the child or simply being absent. Your attempt to downplay those facts do not change those facts. Especially the pathetic shaming attempt where you state men who have no father must grow up to "HATE WOMEN". That cliche attack is not only inaccurate but completel irrelevant to the facts. (Not to mention my father wasn't absent, and I simply do NOT hate women.)

[LogicBomber]

Also... "LETS be real if we wanted to be their he would have, but the thing is he didn't want not enjoy the single life of no troubles."
Is a completely delusional idea. The sheer ignorance reeks of feminism.
There are massive groups that have been created simply to fight for equal rights in child custody because of the massive bias by society and corruption by women to keep men from their children. It is readily available information which you actively and selectively choose to ignore or disregard.

[somebodysaycheese]

So was your dad in your life? Was he. Statistics cannot say father's are not important , why? Because single father households aren't the norm at all so there is no way to measure it. Your problem is you blame womwn for men not wanting responsibility of his mistakes. Blame men not women. men like you need to get over yourselves.. blame your mom for raising you when she didn't need to. she could have done what your dad did and bounced... smh. this is what happens when dads aren't around sons blame their mother and all women.. smh

[LogicBomber]

Yes my father was in my life. I had already mentioned that.

NO. Statistics prove father's are important, Because there are mountains of statistics which show that kids with absent fathers end up to be one or many of the massive negative things I mentioned above. So even without a massive test group of single father homes, the stats which show the benefits of fathers is still relevant. The fact that fathers who read to their kids benefit children's cognitive and developmental abilities over women is still valid.

I don't blame women for men not wanting responsibility of his mistakes.
First of all both men and women chose to have sex, the difference is women get to choose if they become a parent or not, if the father gets to see it or know about it or not, or if he pays for it or not. A male does NOT get those privileges. Female can and do trick males into producing children and yes some bail because they didn't want that, unlike women who just simply kill the child.

[LogicBomber]

But once again, none of that is relivant to the benefits of a father to a child over the mother.
It's like if I told there were health benefits to eating vegetables over meat and gave you a shit ton of stats which showed those benefits, and then you come back with... "well lots of people don't like eating vegtable so how can you say that it's healthier..."
It has no bearing on the facts. A father benefits a child, therefore it would be benefital to a child to have a father in it's life. If a father is not in it's life regardless of the reason... the child is going to suffer the damage.

And one last time... MY FATHER WAS IN MY LIFE. MY WHOLE LIFE. And I am lucky for that because
if he wasn't STATISTICS show that I would have more likely been burdened with many damaging things.

[somebodysaycheese]

So what your doing is mouthing of without having experienced it. See , We can say father's are important because their is no way to really measure the absence of a mother. Your whole my take is that men are more important than women. Your not making sense at all,

[LogicBomber]

OMG how are you not getting this? Or are you simply trolling.
My experience is irrelevant to the facts.
My take makes perfect sense if you look at FACTS instead of trying to excuse and justify ignoring them with nonsense.
The take isn't that men are more important than women... it very clearly points out that a father's role is the most important role for the proper development of a child.
YOU chose to take that as a slight against yourself and women in general.

[AperolSpritz]

Being a PARENT is the most important job in the world, why do so many morons have to try and turn everything into a "we're better than you" thing. Jesus.

"Absent fathers are absent because the mother makes it that way" now you're just baiting, and full of sh! t

My daughter's dad walked out of her life of his own accord. Nobody made him, that choice was his.
He's back now, and he sees her regularly BUT I'm not going to call him a good parent, because I don't think he is. He's a fine weather father - all good for teddy bears and fun days out, but if the time came when he'd actually have to something for her that required any actual responsibility, he'd be gone again, without a doubt.

I'm not trying to make out that I'm the world's most wonderful parent, but I do my absolute best for my daughter every single day, and I think I'm doing OK.
Never ever ever ever would I walk away from her the way he so easily did.

Children need GOOD parents. DNA alone isn't enough. If he walked away tomorrow, he'd be doing her a favour.

I do agree that all children need a male figure in their lives, but they come in many forms.

My partner is brilliant with my daughter. He's absolutely amazing. She calls him "daddy" now, and that is how she sees him. There is nothing he hasn't been there for her for.
When he and I separated briefly last year, he still came to see her every other day, and no matter happens to us in the future, he will always be there for her, because their relationship is important. It matters. For him aswell as her.

Her father could disappear tomorrow and she wouldn't even remember him before long.

Being a parent IS the most important job in the world... for those willing and able to take it on.

[LogicBomber]

If women weren't constantly trying to turn everything into a "girl power" we are better then men campaign then maybe you would have a place to gripe.

I don't believe I said ALL absent fathers are that way because of the mother, so NO I am not full of shit. Like some mothers, there are fathers who simply don't want to be parents. Unfortunately mothers are not shamed and attacked for choosing to not be parents like men are. Let's try to remember that YOUR personal experience doesn't make facts untrue.

and just an FYI your current partner is called daddy because he is now her "FATHER" and falls into the same demographic discussed above.

[SovereignessofVamps]

I agree but lots of dads leave because they can't afford to stay... like money issues. That may have been what OP meant.

[Jager66]

The male brain changes after a man has a child, this change allows a man to psychologically provide the same things a mother provide to a child as well as what a man brings to the table as a parent. This change is not seen in women, a woman can not "replace" a father but a father can "replace" a mother.. sorta..

This is one of the main scientific arguments behind why we should have gay male couple adopting children and putting emphasis on fathers having a respected position in society instead of being denigrated as they often are now.

[AperolSpritz]

After carying my daughter for 38 weeks, going through 19 hours of getting her out, and doing everything I can to give the best I can to my daughter every single day without her father , it is genuinely hurtful to basically be called "irrelevant" by people who have no idea what it's like to be a single parent, and to be looked down on by society as people who screwed up.
Having my daughter completely changed me, how I thought about life and myself. It's strange to think of the person I was before. I had to pretty much change my whole life when she came along. Everything I do revolves around her.
To her dad, she was an afterthought. He only decided he was interested when he no longer had anything more important to do
Single mothers are seen as the bad guys so often? Why? What's our crime? Have you ever spent time with a single mother? Seen everything that goes into loving a child? or do you just judge from afar, thinking how much better they would be with the guy who abandoned them?

[Jager66]

@AperolSpritz I was raised by a single mom, all my friends, save 2, growing up were raised by single moms and I currently know several single moms. I think you would be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't have personal experience with single moms.

I'm not disparaging moms, not at all, I'm not making judgments about single or why they are single. I'm only pointing out a biological fact, I don't intend for that to be offensive to anyone but if it is there is nothing that can be done about it because it is neutral, it just is.

This kind of information and a societal conversation on it are very important because we NEED! children to be raised properly. We need solutions to social issues and good parenting is probably the solution to a lot of it. We cannot come to a good solution if we cannot openly discuss the information. People with sensitive feelings about the issue are probably going to get hurt in the process, but so what, their feelings don't matter only the truth does.

[LogicBomber]

@AperolSpritz It's unfortunate that you find it hurtful that facts show that fathers are beneficial in every aspect of child development. That doesn't make you "irrelevant" but no matter how much you are doing for your daughter, she is at many disadvantages without a father in her life. Disadvantages which she would not be at if she was with a single father.
This isn't an attack it's merely statistics.
Single mothers are not seen as bad guys... society constantly props you up as super hero's because female positive propaganda is almost a daily requirement for even the most mundane objective.

I have spent time with a single mother... I actually Married one. I have seen her love of her children, but that doesn't have anything to do with the outcome of the stats mentioned above.

[AperolSpritz]

You don't think Single Fathers are held up as superheroes? They absolutely ( and quite rightly ) are. Being a parent IS the most important thing a person will ever do, but it is also the hardest. You cannot compare having a child to anything.
Most people know someone who is a single parent, but people who judge have no idea what it's like to be one... and single mothers ARE judged, I've been on the receiving end, both directly to my face, & from what's been said about me. You yourself even blamed single mothers for guys not being around.
A man walks out on his child, we either should never have got involved or we should have done something differently. People don't feel the same way about single fathers.
My daughter does have her dad in her life, but only when it's convenient. Like I said, she was an after thought. He was only interested when his easy life was starting to look a little boring.

[AperolSpritz]

It took him two years to acknowledge she existed. Being a father may be the most important job in your mind, but guys like my ex partner don't feel the same way.
In my mind, he lost the right to be her dad when he walked away. He can have what the court gave him, but that's as involved as he'll get. I don't want her to get too attached to him, not out of spite, or because I'm bitter, but because because being picked up & dropped by him when it suits him will do her more damage than not having him around at all.

[Jager66]

@AperolSpritz What do you want a cookie? I'm not sure what your point is but I think your trying to say we shouldn't shame single moms?

I disagree with this, it needs to be socially unacceptable to do things that will harm children. Being a single parent is one of those things, except for special circumstances like a parents death for example, unfortunately all things being equal a single mom is the worst way to raise a child, much worse then being a single dad. Children raised by single moms are more likely to be dysfunctional in every way we can measure it, depressed, failure to launch, failure forming stable relationships, crime, failure at school etc..

It sucks for the single moms who end up like this but it will keep happening, it's an epidemic right now, until it's no longer "ok" to do it.

[margarida]

Agreed. When a man is a good father that kid will grow up being an healthy and good person, with values and tools to work his or her way through our world. But it's not always easy. Sometimes a father is a good father, and with my father's tough love, his enforcement of rules and teaching methods I grew up knowing discipline, respect for others, and overall knowing how to deal with others and myself. But a lot of the growth I have done, even though it comes from my fathers actions, those were not good actions. He wasn't always a good father, and because of his bad behavior I was forced to grow up, to be more mature for my sake.

Being a father is in fact the most important job in the world, but if a man wants to be a father he should be conscious of what that entails, and how much of a challenge it is.

Loved the myTake, great job!

[bricar2]

One needs to simply take a look at the US prison population and see the disproportionate number of Black males living there as an example of the importance of the father's role. Could the lack of a father guiding them into adulthood have anything to do with the criminal choices they made?

Female empowerment is fine but not when it comes at the expense of a man's value.

Maybe those traditional gender roles worked so well for a reason.

[SovereignessofVamps]

I think that mostly has to do with poverty. And many absent dads are very poor or are even criminals so even if they were there the family would probably still be in poverty... so traditional roles are cool but it's hard in this economy.

[oldanddecrepid]

I love being a dad. It is my favorite thing in life.

When I look back at all the tea parties, the sheet forts, and the frog hunting I did with my little girl on my back, it puts a huge smile on my face!

I could not fathom being absent for any of it!

Now that she is a teen we play catch, kick the soccer ball around, do some archery, shoot a gun, fish, sail, kayak, snorkel, read together, etc., it's even more fun!

I don't agree it is a job, because a job seems like work. Being a dad does not take much effort at all and it is more just an honor or privilege to me.

[EmiliaB]

Whilst I agree that fathers who are, or try to be just as involved in their child's life deserve the same recognition and respect that mothers do, did you really need to give the finger to women who put everything they have into being good mothers?
Do you regularly say to your own mother " Thanks, but you really weren't needed, nothing you did for me was important" ?
Like someone else said, this could have been a really great post about the importance of the role of a father without all the reasons why you think they are so much more important than the mothers you see as unnecessary.

... and next time your spout off off about how most absent fathers are just saint-like victims of cruel women, remember that if a parent really wants to be in their child's life, nothing will keep them away.

[LogicBomber]

If the roles were reversed and the role of the father was shown as being an unnecessarily in the proper development of children, I guarantee that you wouldn't be so vigilant in your attempt to dispute it, if anything there would have been applause and a big pat on your own back for being part of the group.

In regards to the "Nothing will keep them away"... tell that to the endless number of fathers who fight tirelessly to try and see their kids against a biased system, fighting against lies and false claims by the mother to use the bias system to her advantage. No matter how much you want to disregard it, seeing your children as a male isn't as easy as showing up to the door.

[EmiliaB]

No not at all. I don't agree with dragging someone else down in order to big someone else up. Like I said, you could have written about the importance of fathers without the need to belittle mothers ( seriously, do you hold your own mother in such low regard? It's a genuine question) and I would have agreed with you completely.
I personally don't think I would have been better off with my father around, but I know my son needs his dad. I've worried about this kind of thing, I've thought about what would happen if his dad wasn't around, and I've thought about my ability to fill that gap, and I know I wouldn't be able to do it, I'd do my absolute damnedest to try, but one parent cannot replace the other.

I don't think I deserve a pat on the back. I doubt by abilities as a parent all the time, but that doesn't mean I don't believe my son needs me.

In terms of fathers rights, I think it's a bit different in in England than it is in the US (are you in the US?

[EmiliaB]

In terms of Fathers' rights. I think it's a bit different in England to how it seems to be in the US ( are you in the US?) This seems to come up a lot.
In England, it is pretty much a case of showing up at the door. It would have to proven beyond doubt that a father is a danger to his child before he could be denied access or custody.
That goes for both parents

[LogicBomber]

I am not reducing the roles of mothers by pointing out the massive impact fathers have, it's simply truth. Mothers roles obviously don't have as massive an impact and the stats show that. I am sorry that by pointing that out somehow belittles mothers. Daily I see articles upon articles pointing out how "Girl power" this and "girl power" that while at the same time there is NO boy power initiative, on the contrary there are massive anti-male campaigns telling boys that they are rapist in waiting and should be ashamed of being male. Girl positive initiatives constantly bash males and when it comes to "not agreeing with dragging someone down to prop up someone else"... there is NEVER EVER a mention of how wrong or damaging that is.

In regards to my own mother. I love her, she is my mother. But her necessity and benefit after year one was cosmetic. This has nothing to do with how I feel for her as a person.

In regards to you benefiting from your dad... stats show you would have.

[LogicBomber]

I am not in the states or the UK but the UK is one of the most Anti-male areas I have seen.
Especially against fathers. It is why the Fathers4Justice movement started after a guy who was not granted access to his children but was expected to pay for them, decided he had enough of the bigotry.

www.telegraph.co.uk/.../...-the-family-courts.html

www.dailymail.co.uk/.../...tal-rights-fathers.html

https://www.coeffic.demon.co.uk/descrim.htm

But like most mens issues, society and the media often ignore it and act like it isn't a thing which leads those to believe things like you mentioned about them having easy access to their children.

[AleDeEurope]

Both parents are important, I wouldn't say being a Dad is more important than being a Mom.
It would have been nice if you added statistics of the effect of not having a mother, and just the dad taking care of the kid.

It's disappointing to see how society treats fathers, as if being a father just means you plant the seed and just bring the money in. Then you're just a dumb retard, as you can see in many ads and TV-shows.

[LogicBomber]

I at no point said that being a mom didn't have it's advantages, but when you look at the sources, the fathers role makes or breaks a child. It is factually more important.

[UncagedAgent]

Inb4: Both parents ar...
Never mind, I'm too late

Nice Take though

[Asingh]

wow, for once men are seen as important as women when it comes to raising children

[HenryThePrideful]

Trying to get men into raising other men's child unknowingly tsk tsk tsk.

[VegasNewFallout]

Wish my dad was like the one you described, bruh.

[LogicBomber]

:(
Was he absent?

[VegasNewFallout]

No he was present, he was just nothing like you described.

Worry wart, verbally abusive, dismissive, boring, didn't really do much with us, lost our respect, etc. I didn't finish school because I hated it, had no help from him, and felt like I was worthless because of him.

I'd be worse off without him, though.

[LogicBomber]

That's unfortunate that there is always some that drag the average down. I bet if he was active in your life you wouldn't have dropped out of school and you wouldn't feel the way you do.
But I agree you probably would be much worse without him. Sadly.

[VegasNewFallout]

Oh, yeah, I wasn't attempting to dismantle your post; I was being self-loathing. I definitely agree that a fatherless home has more of a negative impact on both girls and boys than a motherless home does.

My case is more of a shitty person vs shittier person.

[GreatnessRevamped]

Both mothers and fathers are desperately needed for a child's development.
Good take.

[John_Doesnt]

Don't flatter yourself. My dad was an alcoholic and never around, yet I managed to get myself into college and have a good career. It was my mom who raised me, slightly.

[LogicBomber]

Your personal experience does not invalided overall stats. It's unfortunate you were one of the off cases but his not being a better role has affected you regardless of how much your mother may have done.

[John_Doesnt]

Yet I'm still functioning, so the role of a father isn't exactly necessary. And I'm not a minority either. A large percentage of the population either grew up with a bad father or no father at all.

[LogicBomber]

43% of homes are fatherless. Of that more than half are because of the mother's wishes.
You are still functioning but once again that doesn't invalidate any of the statistics about children from fatherless homes.

How is this such a hard concept for people?
Statistically speaking... being overweight will put you at a greater risk of heart disease. If you are fat and don't have it, that doesn't make the statistic less true.
Men are statistically more likely to die before women, doesn't mean some men don't outlast women.
Jumping out of plane without a parachute is almost 100% guaranteed to kill you, but if 1 person manages to survive, you can't then say that the statistics are invalid. That person is a rare occurrence against the standard.

[PT1911]

Your logic bombing is on point.

[ihatethiswebsite]

I definitely think it's as important as the Mother. I think both parents are equally helpful to the kid.

[LogicBomber]

@ihatethiswebsite Can you show me where mother's benefit a child the way that a father does? I mean can you show me something a mother gives that drastically changes a child in the way the father role benefits the child?
Since you know the higher suicide rate, crime rate, drug abuse rate, aggression, abuse, failure in school, etc etc etc. is a pretty substantial thing.

@Dipsy... This ^^