On Being a Father
The traditional definition of a father as wise and having a solution to every problem - as being head of the household - doesn’t seem to apply to our generation. Today it doesn’t matter what gender you are - you can fill the role of the family father. A father is someone who is the provider of the family.
1) The father of the family provides basic needs of food and shelter. I provide my family with their basic needs by earning a living. I work at the expense of sharing time with my family. As many of you do, I work more than the obligatory 40 hours a week and try to balance this with family time.
2) The father of the family provides learning experiences. Some of these little lessons in life may be the things his kids will remember for a lifetime. I provide many experiences for my children, by taking them on adventures, by taking them to church, and by sending them to school . The toughest learning experience of all is preparing them to venture off on their own.3) The father of the family provides guidance. Beyond teaching there is guidance. Just because a child has knowledge doesn’t mean he will use it. Just as a one-year-old needs someone to catch him when he takes his first steps I stand by my children as they venture out into the world. When my children lack confidence I provide encouragement. When they run into an obstacle I try to guide them to where they want to be.
4) The father of the family provides a role model. Children need someone to look up to, and the father is certainly in the spotlight. I hope my children look at me and see the person they want to become.
5) The father of the family provides a community environment. I provide a community environment by working through the parish and the school, by volunteering for activities.
6) The father of the family provides discipline. All children need limits, and sometimes enforcing these limits require a loving discipline for any child testing these limits.
7) The father of the family provides security. Not only do I provide a place for my children to come to when they think the world is out to get them, but I encourage them to become secure in who they are so that they become strong enough to stand up for themselves.
But why does a father do all these things? Why would a father take on these responsibilities? Why suffer the pain? Why sacrifice so much of one’s time? The answer is love. Love brought these children in to this family and love supports them when they are in need. So, most of all, a father provides unconditional love.
Michael Forbush 6-21-98
More Life the Universe and Everything
Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father, Mother, Father