Dad, you are important!

2. “Being a great father is like shaving. No matter how good you shaved today, you have to do it again tomorrow.”—Reed Markham

3. Dad, you are important! A father’s presence in the lives of his children can yield significant, measurable benefits, and his absence can create an equally measurable risk for harm.

4. Small boys become big men through the influence of big men who care about small boys.”—Author Unknown

5. Contents Benefits for Children & Fathers Difficulties of Fatherhood Following God’s Model: Acceptance Accessibility Presence Discipline Faithfulness Goodness

6. Benefits for Children & Fathers

7. Benefits to children of involved fathers: • Higher levels of school performance • Better psychological development: • Greater empathy • Higher verbal skills • Higher self-esteem • Increased curiosity • Higher academic scores

8. Benefits to children of involved fathers: • Economically stable homes • Decreased possibility of experiencing violence, abuse, and harsh discipline • Strong attachment with the father allows the possibility of future confident relationship formation, instilling a sense of security and safety; a central place from which children can explore the world. • It can promote a healthy model of male-female relationships.

9. benefits for fathers Fathers have much to benefit from their relationships with their children.

10. “The guys who fear becoming fathers don’t understand that fathering is not something perfect men do, but something that perfects men.”—Frank S. Pittman, MD

11. benefits for fathers: • More developed sense of self and self-confidence • Greater ability to care for others; a more mature understanding of empathy • An increased ability to express and demonstrate positive emotions • Increased ability to delay gratification in benefit of others • Greater participation in the community and larger involvement in the church • Greater sense of well-being and personal satisfaction • Source: “The Effects of Father Involvement: A Summary of the Research Evidence,” Father Involvement Initiative Ontario Network, Fall 2002 newsletter; and Glen Palm, “Involved Fatherhood: A Second Chance,” Journal of Men’s Studies, November 1993.

12. “A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty.”—Author Unknown