Fathers are Our Unsung Heroes: Happy Father’s Day from Orijin - Orijin Culture

Many of the discussions involving dads/fathers revolve around their absence and the negative impact it has on their child’s development. However, many of us fail to acknowledge or celebrate the incredible fathers who not only fulfill their duties as role models for their children but who also provide an example for other fathers. To a large extent, fathers (those who not only provided their serves as sperm donors but who also make it their life duty to aid in the day-to-day development and well being of their child/children’s lives) are our unsung heroes. A father’s impact on his child begins from the moment of inception. It is the father’s sperm that determines the child’s gender. During childhood, little girls and boys will look to their father’s as the primary example of how a man/father is supposed to be. It is the example that helps to foster higher levels on confidence and better cognitive, education and social skills.

President Barack Obama recently stated that “Far too many young people in America grow up without their dads, and our families and communities are challenged as a result.” The challenges imposed by the absence of a father go beyond the boundaries of the USA. There are copious amounts of research detailing the detrimental impact the absence of a father can have on a child’s development and society as a whole. While the mother is often positioned as the primary/most important caregiver of a child and its development, there has been and continues to be a shift in this mode of thinking. We are beginning to see the call for an equal involvement of both parents in the raring and development of a child.

While statistically, there are significantly more single mothers than there are single fathers and this is large contributes to the discourse surrounding the constant criticism of absent fathers, we also need to be cognizant of the fact that there are also single fathers who face the same and sometimes, more difficult challenges of having to raise a child on their own. There are also fathers who yearn to have a relationship with their children but for reasons outside of their control, they are unable to do so. While there continues to be a need for more fathers to be involved in the lives, we also need to acknowledge and celebrate those fathers who are doing their part. Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers; you are well deserved of all the love acknowledgment and appreciation.