The value of fatherhood

“Train up a child in the way he should go {teaching him to seek God’s wisdom and will for his abilities and talents}, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.” –Proverbs 22:6

Recently we celebrated Father’s Day and for most families in our great state that means barbecue and bad dad jokes. We come together as families to celebrate the pivotal roles our fathers play in our lives, even as adults. If you were fortunate enough to grow up with your father present, you may not fully appreciate the impact he had on your sense of security, self-confidence, and capacity to trust. For children who were not so fortunate, the full weight of this absence is more profound than we might think. The statistics are grim. Kids without a father figure are:

• 4x more likely to live in poverty
• 7x more likely to face teenage pregnancy
• 2x more likely to drop out of high school
• put at a higher risk of facing abuse and neglect
• put at a higher risk of going to prison or committing a crime

We know the facts, but what are we doing about it? Boys and Girls Country is unique in that all eleven of our cottages have a married couple and 2 single individuals parenting for our kids. Many of our kids did not have a father figure in their life before they came here, and our male teaching parents go above and beyond to build trust and confidence. David Young, a successful teaching dad to over 29 girls in his 9+ years at BGC shared this reflection on his role:

“As a teaching dad, you don’t always win in a popularity contest. You push hard to motivate kids, all while providing a safe and loving place to land when they fall. You listen and understand only to be told many times “you don’t understand.” You must be both the lion and the lamb to inspire grace, strength, patience, heart, and forgiveness. All the while knowing you may not be the first or second person your kids want to hear this from… A dad knows his job is always on the line, but he’s alright with it. A real dad laughs at the phrase “above my pay grade” because a father knows that the payout is so much greater.”

Our kids are also grateful for the role our male teaching parents play in their lives. Our Cottage Five boys share what it means to them:

Having a father means everything to me because I don’t have a relationship with my biological father. It felt so good to have my dad there at football games! – Zorian 

I love receiving warm hugs and playing with Mr. Steve! -Aaron 

I’m grateful to have a father figure in my life. Especially since I grew up without one and only a father can show you how to be a man and become an adult. -Akia 

I love all the time and conversations I get to have with Mr. Steve.- Anilay

We are so blessed to be able to form these relationships and without our donors and volunteers, it would not be possible! We take great joy in watching our kids thrive when supported properly! If you’re interested in more information, donating, or volunteering, visit our website for more information! We try to post daily on our social media so make sure you’re following us, and drop a comment below to let us know what you think of our new blog!