Today I’m at school all day, which means that it is Daddy Day at home.  I hate leaving the house, realizing I’ll miss the precious moment when Dutch gets up in the morning, the smell of his breath (I know weird, I love the way he smells in the morning), kissing his round little cheeks, and the way he runs across the room when Jeff puts him down and jumps into my arms.  I love the “day off” that Mondays provide me.  School is a breeze compared to Mommyhood :-).  But most of all, I love that Dutch gets a special Daddy day.

Mid-morning Jeff emailed me to say that he and Dutch had been on a long bike ride (Jeff has a baby bike-seat on his bike and Dutch LOVES riding in it), and to the park, and then had stopped to share a large french fry at Burgerville (yes, my son loves french fries, who doesn’t?).  Dutch ate most of the fries and then made the sign for “please more.”  Fortunately they stopped at one large fry.  But all in all they were having a special day, and I had to smile and thank God for letting Jeff have these precious little moments with Dutch.  I know enough to know that Dad matters.

That’s one of the most significant things I’ve learned in all of my Family classes here at Multnomah.  In Conflicted Families we learned that 75% of adult disorders and emotional problems can be traced back to the person’s relationship with their father.  75%!  It’s also pretty well-known that when children are taken to church by their father growing up, they are significantly more likely to continue attending church into adulthood, whereas those who are taken by their mother have a far less chance of continuing attendance into adulthood.

It’s sad that we’ve diminished the role of the father in the home today.  Yes, there are natural, biological reasons that moms spend the majority of the time with the children, but amazingly enough, even thought the majority of hours are invested by the moms, dads play perhaps an even greater role in the developmental health of his kids.  In an age where an increasing number of dads are deadbeat, disconnected, or addicted to work, we more than ever need to encourage our men to invest in the home.  Children are hungry for their daddies.

I am so thankful to have had a childhood full of my father.  As a school teacher, he was home summers and most afternoons.  Even when he refereed many evenings, my amazing mother toted us along to colleges across the state, settling for late-night dinners at Burger King so that we could be together as a family.  I vividly remember running to the door each day shouting, “Daddy’s home, Daddy’s home!”  So I guess my call is for men to recognize their irreplaceable role as dads.  You are so important. So valuable. You don’t have to do the parenting thing perfect, but do it!  And moms, encourage your husbands.  Don’t nag them for letting the kids get dirty (or feeding them french fries) or letting the house get dirty.  Cheer them on in their devotion to the family.  All it takes is a little cheering and encouragement.

So thanks, hon, for making Daddy Day so special for Dutch.  Although I wish you would have saved me some Fries.

4 thoughts on “Dad Matters”

  1. Yes, Kari, I thank you for writing this! Even though Brian and I have such a weird, crazy work life right now I’m so happy about the time Brian gets to spend with Hudson. For 30 hours a week Brian is the primary care giver and it has done so much for his relationship with Hudson. Those two are thick as thieves! In an age where I see a lot of husbands uncomfortable in caring for their own children, Brian shines. It has illustrated in our lives the principal you wrote about here: daddy matters! I always knew it in my mind, but now I see it played out every day. So, even when our schedules are more regular and I don’t work outside the home Brian is determined to be a close daddy for our children. It makes the home so happy!

  2. Oh also, (sorry to hog the comments) I was amazed that 75% of adult disorders and emotional problems can be traced back to the person’s relationship with their father. Wow!

  3. Thanks, Caila! Yeah, we’ve actually read tons of other staggering statistics about dads but the sad thing about pregnancy is I can’t remember them all right now! 🙂 I just know that dads matter!

  4. Mondays are Daddy Day in our house too…it is a precious time for my boys and something I am so thankful for. But, I sometimes forget that I am thankful for them…when the house is a mess or naps have been missed…thank you for the reminder!

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