Relationships

Fathers Are Important: The Intact Family Enjoys The Best Outcomes

Family privilege is real: children who grow up in intact families with their biological father and mother face fewer struggles and are far more likely to succeed in life.

By Lisa Britton3 min read
Fathers Are Important: The Intact Family Enjoys The Best Outcomes

In a society that’s laser-focused on issues of equality and striving for equal outcomes, many influential academics and activists are suggesting that this “family privilege” isn’t fair, so we must reimagine the family for “progress”. But — progress to what? Everyone equally struggling? Equal negative outcomes? “Reimagining” the idea of the family basically means “bye-bye, dads!” Data and research are available to prove that the intact family enjoys the best outcomes, so shouldn’t we, while acknowledging that everyone can make their own choices, promote to our young people the fact that an intact family is the most successful path they can take?

Celebrities and Feminists Are Down on Dads

I have recently written for Evie about a celebrity trend I have noticed of late: uber-wealthy, influential stars promoting solo motherhood as “empowering” to their impressionable young fans, most of whom will never have the same resources available to them. These fans are being taught that fathers are neither important nor necessary. This is all part of a social engineering plan to dismantle the idea of the family and turn more individuals into struggling, status-obsessed, and materialistic worker bees, dependent on the government for support and (minimal) stability with far less quality family time.

Creating division between the sexes is counterproductive to what feminists say they want: balanced parenting roles.

Feminists have been arguing for decades for the need for more balanced parenting roles in the home. But at the same time, they’ve been promoting a “Who needs men, anyway?!” attitude, celebrating easy divorce as “empowering,” and encouraging unwed and solo motherhood. Creating division between the sexes is counterproductive to what they say they want: balanced parenting roles. This results in more struggling, overwhelmed single mothers in homes where roles can’t be balanced at all, many fathers torn away from their children, and children growing up without the love and support of an involved dad. Feminists, answer this: how does this benefit girls and women?

The Undeniable Benefits of an Involved Father

Countless studies have shown the undeniable benefits of having an involved father in the home. First and foremost, households with a father in the home are far less likely to live in poverty. Kids in father-absent households are four times as likely to be POOR. Children with involved fathers are more likely to enjoy school and engage in extracurricular activities. A strong father’s presence instills an understanding of authority in children, which could be why children with an involved father are less likely to commit crimes and go to prison. If we had MORE involved dads, we would have safer communities!

Furthermore, data suggests that children without fathers are more than twice as likely to die by suicide! That information alone should be enough to want to promote the significance of fathers and intact families!

Children without fathers are more than twice as likely to die by suicide.

Studies on child well-being and parent-child relationships show that father love is an important factor in predicting the emotional, social, and cognitive development and functioning of children and young adults. Children with fathers in the home are 70% less likely to drop out of school!

There are many challenges that are inevitable with the lack of a father, but there are definite differences between the sexes. Boys without fathers are more likely to act out. Girls are affected differently, with many experiencing psychological issues later in life that can have detrimental consequences. These are often jokingly referred to as “daddy issues,” but they are in no way a joke. Fathers give their daughters a masculine example. When a woman grows up without said example, she often has less insight and is more likely to choose inappropriate men and have bad relationships. Also, she is more likely to experience an eating disorder or be obese. Women who grew up with a father are more likely to have emotionally stable, satisfying, and long-lasting marriages.

Teach Both Boys and Girls the Importance of Fatherhood

We could go on and on with the data and statistics. Not only can we look at the research (which is easily available online), but we could look at what is happening on our streets these days to see the effects of fatherlessness on society. So, what should be done?

We need to teach girls and young women the significance of men and fathers. 

Many agree that we should teach boys and young men about the importance of men, fathers, and intact families so they will desire and be better equipped to become an involved father in the future. I agree with that, but I  would take it a step further:  I believe we need to teach girls and young women about the significance of men and fathers. We need to instill in them the understanding that men are not “trash,” or disposable, like our culture is urging them to believe. We need to educate them on the many benefits of having an involved father for their children and that solo motherhood is not the cool, “it” thing to do. We need to teach girls about the significance of men and fathers, so they will grow up to become women who understand the significance of men and fathers. We need to battle the negative social engineering.

Closing Thoughts

If we truly want a society with more equal outcomes in the POSITIVE direction, we should be promoting the idea of the intact family! Fathers are SO important, ladies!

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