We need our fathers to be STRONG DADS!
RX: Strong Dads!
Taken Daily – no negative side effects.
The best medicine for an ailing country!
In this time of constant debate and negative news about the ailments of our country, I'd like to touch on a very simple remedy that all of us can agree on and benefit from-Strong Dads!
I’m envisioning the old poster of Uncle Sam pointing his finger at us saying; “I WANT YOU!” With our country in a crisis of school shootings, drug epidemics, moral decline among our culture, and the list goes on… I ask that you take a few moments and think about what Strong Dads could do for our country.
When treating most any ailment, experts tell us that if possible, always go for the source of the problem, rather than its symptoms. Symptoms are often the distractors that seek all of our attention. Whether it’s the itch from poison ivy or a runny nose from allergies, we just want to deal with the symptom. But, what if we could stop throwing our resources at the symptoms of an ailing culture and go after the source. Yes, I’m suggesting that the source of much of what ails us is the lack of Strong Dads in our homes. Check out these statistics, (https://www.fatherhood.org/father-absence-statistic).
Let's go right to the source of our problems. We need our dads back in the homes and in the lives of our families. We need our fathers to be Strong Dads!
I was fortunate to be raised by a Strong Dad. I did not say “perfect”; I said “strong”. My dad was involved, fun, consistent, loving, and yes, a disciplinarian. I knew I could count on him in every and all situations. I knew he was going to love me, but challenge me to be better. He always encouraged us to take risk, care about others, work hard, and honor and respect our family. Most importantly, he grounded us in a foundation of faith. Thankfully, he held a short memory for our wrongdoings, and insisted that we get back up after we were knocked off the horse of life.
Dad, your little girl is watching everything you do. You are her first “knight in shining armor” in life. She watches how you treat her mom. She listens to the way you talk about others. She watches how hard you work. She seeks your protection and comfort in the middle of a thunderstorm. She watches you build and fix things in the house. She takes your lead on how you manage money and time, and she loves to peek at you when you are praying to Jesus. Yes, she trusts that you have her best interest in mind at all times. SHE NEEDS YOU!
Dad, just as your daughter needs you, so too does your son. One of the most prevalent types of learning to become a man is called modeling. Simply put, they watch and imitate everything you do. If you cuss, they cuss. If you spit, they spit. There is good and bad to this type of learning based on what you're modeling. If you talk with respect to your wife, they too will talk with respect to their mother and someday to their wife. If you demonstrate hard work, honesty, integrity, self-control, respect, trust, humor, commitment, and faith, they too will begin to demonstrate these traits.
There should be no need for your children to look outside your home for a role-model. You are their role-model. I encourage you to take your role seriously not just for the sake of your children, but for the sake of our nation. We build a strong society by starting with strong building blocks- STRONG DADS! Yes, dads, this country needs you now more than ever.
WE NEED YOU TO BE A STRONG DAD!