State Senator Bill
Beagle
Celebrating
Fatherhood
As a father myself, and as
Chairman of the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood, I know firsthand the
irreplaceable role fathers play in their children’s lives. My own
father used his high school education and hard work to become a
regional Vice President of a coffee company. He was a husband, a
coach, a guide, a leader, and a man of compassion that shaped my
upbringing.
Ironically, the first Father's Day I
celebrated as a father was the first one I celebrated without my own
father. He had passed away about ten months before my first daughter
was born. The case for fatherhood is well known and beyond dispute:
with a father in their lives, children are less likely to have
behavioral problems in school, are more likely to get better grades,
show more curiosity and problem solving capacity, and have stronger
verbal skills.
What makes a good father? Playing with
our children. Reading to our children. Putting down our electronics
or our work and simply making eye contact with our kids as they tell
us about their day. Time spent together is far more important than
what it is we actually do together.
The main goal of the
Commission on Fatherhood is to help dads become better fathers. Using
evidence based practices, the commission partners with non-profit and
faith based organizations that work with new fathers, who are
typically young and may not have had a good father as a
role-model
to teach them how to be a part of their child's life. Those fathers
deserve credit for trying to become better fathers for their own
children. We should support their efforts, and you can do so by
visiting fatherhood.ohio.gov.
We
set aside Father’s Day to say "thanks" to our dads, and
to show them, however briefly, that they are
appreciated.
Regardless of how you celebrate the day,
being a father is undoubtedly the most rewarding thing that has ever
happened to me. But being a father is bigger than that amazing first
day in the hospital, hearing your child’s first words, or watching
them graduate from high school. Fatherhood is completely committing
yourself to the success, safety, and well being of your children. It
is challenging and sometimes it is a struggle, but it is worth every
second.
This Father’s Day, we celebrate our own
fathers and all the great dads out there. But for those of us who are
fathers ourselves, let’s rededicate ourselves to raising strong,
healthy families, and being the best dads we can be. Our families
need it, our kids deserve it and our future depends on it.
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