Father’s Day and …:
Why dads matter
Cynics will no doubt think of Father’s Day as just another commercial
con, created by retailers to make unwitting consumers part with their
hard-earned cash. But the origins of this celebration are more humble
than you think.
The origins of Father’s Day go back to Washington 1908. After
listening to a Mother’s Day Sermon, Sonora Smart Dodd came up with the
idea of a tribute day for fathers as a way of recognizing her own
father’s sacrifices - after the death of her mother he had brought up
her six siblings alone. Her idea gained much support but took many years
to become official. Whereas Mother’s Day had always been met with
enthusiasm, Father’s Day was ridiculed for years - it wasn’t until 1966
- 58 years later that President Lyndon Johnson made Father’s Day an
official holiday. Nowadays, dads are much more involved with family life
than they were in the 60s.
Today’s dads are much more involved with family life and there has
been a boom in the number of dads working flexibly. Dads spend more time
with their children than they did in the recent past.Fathers play an
important role throughout a child’s life. But one of the most important
roles that a dad plays is during the toddler years, helping the child
become more secure and not completely dependent on just mum. As they
grow, young children who spend time alone just with their dad show
richer social skills and are more confident in exploring the world
around them.
Children with involved, responsive dads are much more successful
academically, and are more likely to go on to university. And teenagers
whose dads actively participate in their lives are less likely to get
involved with crime or take drugs. Even when dads do not live in the
same house as their children those with dads who are actively involved
in their lives tend to have fewer behavioral problems - It’s a man
thing. |