Fatherhood and Finance

 FAMILY RELATIONS 

NOVEMBER 27, 2021

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Fatherhood and Finance

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Jocelynn Linton

Hello friends! I hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving weekend! Thanksgiving is a wonderful time where we have the opportunity to appreciate our families as well as everything else that we have been blessed with. It is a time when we can draw closer to one another and gain a deeper appreciation for the roles that each member in the family plays. Today we are going to be talking specifically about fathers and the different roles that they play in the family. One of these roles deals with the father being the family unit’s primary provider. That is where the financial aspect comes in. As you read this article, I would like you to think back on your father, or any positive father figure that you had in your life who changed it for the better. You can probably think of many instances where you needed the support and care that only a father could have provided. Hopefully, most of you were lucky enough to have a father in the home, or some kind of primary father figure in your life at some point, and those needs were met. Think about how drastically different your life would’ve been without that figure. It is truly sad nowadays how often men are depicted as the ‘villains’. There are many who would argue that the father is not an essential part of a family. Some will even go as far as to say that men’s purposes are obsolete. This could not be further from the truth. In fact, The importance of fathers in our lives only continues to grow. There are many facts and examples that support this point. Today this evidence is being disregarded by those who want to change and restructure the family unit. Let me assure you that they have their own agendas in mind. One example of this, is research has shown that almost all school shooters came from fatherless backgrounds. Not having a father in the home is detrimental to both boys and girls. Boys without a father tend to be more aggressive, and do not learn important skills when they’re becoming a man. For girls, they tend to be more promiscuous, and often end up getting in trouble with other men. Children are better off with a father in the home. One of the sad things is that less and less women are staying home with their children. There are many cases when this is not possible, but women are choosing not to be home with their kids. This is an issue because it is the father’s primary responsibility to care for, and provide for the family. Shockingly enough, it has been shown that dual income households actually make less money in the long run. Growing up, my father was always the primary caretaker. My mom has worked side jobs off and on, and even ended up having to work full-time, when our family financial situation was less than ideal. But when able to, she always strived to be home with us, and my father has done his best to take care of us financially. Fathers are so vital, because they teach many things that a mother cannot and vice versa. One interesting example that my professor shared, was that when a baby is crying and is coddled by one of its parents, almost always the woman will turn the child to her, and snuggle the baby close. Fathers almost always tend to turn the baby outward. My professor likened this to how fathers show their children the world and the mothers are there to comfort. Both roles are vitally important to the growth and nurture of a child.