RANDOM DISCLAIMER
This was supposed to be done on Father’s Day, but because of timing (work & other things), it got pushed back two days later, but it’s still relevant. Enjoy

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Without fathers, there are no children. It takes 2 to make 1, and often enough, the father seems to be that’s forgotten.

Being a father means more than just another parent in the house, but more so another influence in a child’s life. A father’s role to a child (along with the mother) is to teach life lessons that can help shape the child into an adult. It helps boys better men, and it helps women become wiser females when it comes to deciding on which men they want to marry and become the father to their children.

The unfortunate thing about parents is that some of them choose not to be there for their children. It goes for Mothers and Fathers alike, but when it comes to fathers, especially in the Black community, there are stigmas that come with being a father: they don’t support their children, they have multiple children with multiple women, they disappeared during their child’s life and left the mother to raise them herself, etc.

I’m a single-parent child, but I know who my dad is, and I did spend time with him as a child, but obviously not as much as the child that had both parents in their household, or someone who’s single parent is their father. That doesn’t mean that I didn’t get some valuable lessons from him or that he wasn’t there for me while I was growing up. If it wasn’t for my father, me wanting to work in media (specifically television) would have never happened. He took me to CBC when I was a little kid and that essentially inspired my pursuit of working in that business. There haven’t been many moments, but there were times (and will continue to be times) when my father has greatly impacted my life in some way, shape or form. Sometimes you have to just let go of the bad and take what good that’s been done and remember the fact that I know who he is, and that he’s alive. I’ll take that.

Fathers are necessary because they teach fundamental values and provide knowledge for them to pass down to their children and children’s children. Not to say that mothers don’t, but what a woman and what a man teach are often two different entities, and those who don’t have fathers miss that link, and really don’t have that bond that is essential in a child’s life. This means that they often have to go towards other men for wisdom who become their ‘father figures.’

Men are supposed to be the bread-winners, the hard-workers that take care of the family, and a key strength in a family. Single mothers can do it, but it’s just a heavier burden to bear; most didn’t have a choice, but for future references & reminders to those who want to start a family, make sure that the man you choose will be a father to your children, and a good husband, because what would you really rather have? To struggle to make ends meet to provide for your child? Or someone else who can be there to lighten the load? I respect my mother & single mothers EVERYWHERE for what they continue to do every single day, because it’s not an easy task, and so many sacrifices have to be made to provide for one, but we need to see more families that have men in the radar. It’s up to men to make that commitment and own up to their responsibilities as well, or else, this declaration of the appreciation of fathers goes without reason. So, you make the decision.

Fathers who are there for their children everyday and are helping them on their respective paths to being better people in the future, I commend you, I salute you, and I respect you. Continue being a positive light in their lives.

That’s My Word & It STiXX