{"id":3156,"date":"2015-06-19T10:49:13","date_gmt":"2015-06-19T15:49:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/faithonthecouch\/?p=3156"},"modified":"2017-06-16T12:58:34","modified_gmt":"2017-06-16T17:58:34","slug":"for-fathers-day-15-reasons-dads-matter-15-will-shock-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/faithonthecouch\/2015\/06\/for-fathers-day-15-reasons-dads-matter-15-will-shock-you\/","title":{"rendered":"For Father’s Day, 15 Reasons Dads Matter"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"Image<\/a>
Image via Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

This weekend is Fathers\u2019 Day, so I thought it would be good to take some time to remind us all how important dads are. \u00a0Check out these great dad facts!\u00a0\u00a0(Teaser: \u00a0I saved the most surprising fact for last!)<\/em><\/p>\n

1. \u00a0Fathers\u2019 interaction with babies (engaging in cognitively stimulating activities, emotional warmth, physical care) reduced their infants\u2019 chances of experiencing cognitive delay<\/p>\n

2. \u00a0Children whose fathers are involved in rearing them (\u201csensitive and responsive fathering\u201d) fare better on cognitive tests and in language ability than those with less responsive or involved fathers.<\/p>\n

3. \u00a0Fathers who are involved in their children\u2019s schools and academic achievement, regardless of their own educational level, are increasing the chances their child will graduate from high school, and perhaps go to vocational school, or even to college.<\/p>\n

4. \u00a0A fathers\u2019 involvement in children\u2019s school activities protects at-risk children from failing or dropping out.<\/p>\n

5. Positive father involvement decreased boys\u2019 problem behaviors (especially boys with more challenging temperaments) and better mental health for girls.<\/p>\n

6. Fathers who are more involved with their children tend to raise children who experience more success in their career.<\/p>\n

7. \u00a0Fathers being involved in their children\u2019s lives protects against risk factors that pose harm for children (such as problematic behavior, maternal depression and family economic hardship).<\/p>\n

8. \u00a0Father involvement is associated with promoting children\u2019s social and language skills.<\/p>\n

9. \u00a0Involved fathering is related to lower rates of child problem behaviors, including hyperactivity, as well as reduced teen violence, delinquency, and other problems with the law.<\/p>\n

10. \u00a0Father involvement is associated with positive child characteristics such as increased: empathy, self-esteem, self-control, feelings of ability to achieve, psychological well-being, social competence, life skills, and less sex-stereotyped beliefs.<\/p>\n

11. \u00a0Children in foster care who have involved fathers are more likely to be reunited with their families and experience shorter stays in foster homes.<\/p>\n

12. \u00a0Children who grow up in homes with involved fathers are more likely to take an active and positive role in raising their own families. For example, fathers who recall a secure, loving relationship with both parents are more involved in the lives of their infants and more supportive to their wives.<\/p>\n

13. \u00a0Both men and women who remember having loving, supportive fathers had high life satisfaction and self-esteem.<\/p>\n

14. \u00a0Educational programs that successfully increased father involvement produced positive changes in children\u2019s behavior.<\/p>\n

15. \u00a0Most importantly, when it comes to passing our faith and values on to our kids<\/strong>\u00a0it is critical for fathers to take the lead. When mom and dad are regular churchgoers, 33% of their children will be regular churchgoers and 41% will at least attend irregularly. \u00a0BUT SHOCKINGLY WHEN DAD ALONE IS A CHURCHGOER, FAITH RETENTION RATE ARE EVEN HIGHER! \u00a0It turns out 38% of children with irregular churchgoing mothers but active fathers grow up to attend church regularly and 44% of children with non-active churchgoing moms but faithful dads grow up to go to church regularly.<\/p>\n

Obviously that doesn\u2019t mean moms shouldn\u2019t go to church with their families, but it does mean that the more committed and active dads are, the more likely it is that the children will follow his lead with regard to faith and values even when mom isn\u2019t involved. \u00a0By contrast<\/strong>,\u00a0if the father is an irregular churchgoer<\/strong>\u00a0and the mother regular,\u00a0only 3 percent of the children will subsequently become regulars themselves<\/em>, while a further 59 percent will become irregulars. Thirty-eight percent will be lost. \u00a0LIKEWISE if\u00a0the father is non-practicing<\/strong>\u00a0and mother regular,\u00a0only 2 percent of children will become regular worshipers<\/em>, and 37 percent will attend irregularly. Over 60 percent of their children will be lost completely to the church!<\/p>\n

The bottom line?<\/strong>\u00a0 Dads matter. A lot. \u00a0For more thoughts on ways to be a great, involved, faithful dad, check out\u00a0Parenting with Grace<\/em><\/a>\u00a0(especially our \u201cDad\u2019s Da Man!\u201d chapter) and\u00a0Then Comes Baby<\/a><\/em>\u00a0(especially our chapters on involved fatherhood). \u00a0And Happy Father\u2019s Day!<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

(Facts gathered from: Bronte-Tinkew et al., 2008; Chang et al., 2008; Flouri, 2008; Lamb & Lewis, 2004; Lamb & Tamis-Lemonda, 2004; Pleck & Masciadrelli, 2004; Sarkadi et al., 2008; Haug & Warner, 2000)<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This weekend is Fathers\u2019 Day, so I thought it would be good to take some time to remind us all how important dads are. \u00a0Check out these great dad facts!\u00a0\u00a0(Teaser: \u00a0I saved the most surprising fact for last!) 1. \u00a0Fathers\u2019 interaction with babies (engaging in cognitively stimulating activities, emotional warmth, physical care) reduced their infants\u2019 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1437,"featured_media":2306,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[318],"tags":[353,490],"class_list":["post-3156","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-family-2","tag-father","tag-fathers-day"],"yoast_head":"\nFor Father's Day, 15 Reasons Dads Matter<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"This weekend is Fathers' Day, so I thought it would be good to take some time to remind us all how important dads are. 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