When engaging with fatherless youth in the helping profession, there are few legal boundaries to navigate. The issue itself has become so ordinary that many have neglected to consider its negative ramifications. According to Rev. Abigail Cyr, a former youth pastor and current senior pastor: “Just because it is common, do not underestimate the wounds teens are carrying if fathers are absent in their lives. Understand that the abandonment and identity issues run deep and be willing to go the long haul with them to help them establish trust and find healing in Christ” (Interview). Absent fathers cause a host of problems that do require legal action. If the mother and father of the adolescent are divorced, the father must work within the legal …show more content…
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The role of the father, a male figure in a child’s life is a very crucial role that has been diminishing over the years. An absent father can be defined in two ways; the father is physically not present, or the father is physically present, but emotionally present. To an adolescent, a father is an idolized figure, someone they look up to (Feud, 1921), thus when such a figure is an absent one, it can and will negatively affect a child’s development. Many of the problems we face in society today, such as crime and delinquency, poor academic achievement, divorce, drug use, early pregnancy and sexual activity can be attributed to fathers being absent during adolescent development (Popenoe, 1996; Whitehead, 1993). The percentage of adolescents growing up fatherless has risen from 17% to 36% in just three decades between 1960 and 1990 (Popenoe, 1996). Dr. Popenoe estimates this number will increase to approximately 50% by the turn of the century (Popenoe, 1996). The US Census Bureau reported out of population of 24 million children, 1 out 3 live in a home without a father (US Census Bureau, 2009).
In the 21st century, divorce has become commonplace not only in the United States, but in many parts of the world. Franklin and Boddie (2004) reported that within 10 years about 40-50% of American marriages end in divorce. In 2009, the divorce rate in the United States stood at 3.6 per 1,000 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009). Divorce, however, is not only a social issue, but it has serious health implications. Divorce has been researched extensively and is considered an adverse event (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009). Adverse events such as personal or parental divorce has been linked to many ailments and conditions including substance abuse, depression, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and premature mortality (Sbarra, Law, & Portley, 2011; CDC, 2009).
Scripture wisely exhorts fathers to be wary of how they treat their children; specifically, Ephesians 6:4 warns against provocation, and encourages a Godly model of compassion with a proper response to bad behavior. This Scripture encompasses a variety of behaviors or actions by a father that could potentially be provoking or damaging to a child. Along with this, the potential harmful effects of such behavior on youth delinquency and potential solutions to these problems will be discussed. Proverbs 22:6 and Colossians 3: 21 profoundly remind fathers that their duty is to protect their children, not to provoke them, and to raise them to serve the Lord.
The father’s upbringing was such that financial stability was the priority. The child learned that dads are busy and do not have time to spend with their children. What a devastating realization for a child to conclude. Yet like most little boys, this one wanted to grow up to be like his role model, no matter the example. During the time from childhood to adolescent, parental influence can be either beneficial or detrimental. If the parents have a stable home, clear boundaries and open communications with their teens, the transition could flow easier. The perfect father does not guarantee the child will not rebel.
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Fatherless has been one of the most important challenges and epidemics in our generation. The effects of growing up...
Almost half of all children in the US by the age of 15 will have lived with a single parent (Anderson cited in Barajas 13). In fact, father absent homes have a greater effect on boys than on girls (Mandara, Murry; Sigle-Rushton &McLanahan, cited in Barajas 13). Those teenage boys that are raised in single mother households in low income areas are more likely to participate in criminal activity because they receive less supervision, are surrounded by crime in their neighborhoods, and receive low education levels.
Mothers and fathers have the potential to provide their offspring with powerful, enduring models of behavior, and exert a continuing influence on the reactions and decisions which will shape their children’s’ lives. It is evident that this can be the case even in the absence of the parent. The mother or father who has died or moved away from the family home does not thereby become absent from the child’s memory, and does not thereby cease to guide the child’s behavior. These truths are illustrated by two books which deal with problems faced by adolescents, and which offer contrasting accounts of parental influence – in one case almost wholly negative; in the other case strongly positive, although not necessarily leading to good solutions to the difficulties confronted.
In David Blankenhorn’s book written in 1995, he brings to light what he calls “America’s fundamental problem”: our culture of fatherlessness. Our modern day view of fathers is that they are unnecessary both in society and in the upbringing of a child. Blankenhorn argues the contrary: the only way to solve the multitude of social problems present in America is to address the common denominator, the decline of fathers and the shrinking importance of fatherhood. Blankenhorn’s book is split into three parts: Part I: Fatherlessness, Part II: The Cultural Script and Part III: Fatherhood. In Fatherlessness, he provides the history of fatherhood and includes statistics that help to illustrate the transition of the father from head of the household to being “almost entirely a Sunday institution” (pg. 15).
Reese, William J., Emily Dykman, Michael Lopez-Kaley, and Laura Nettles. Christian Theology: Scripture, Tradition, and Practice. Kearney, Neb.: Morris Pub., 2012. Print.
There are over 20 million children living in fatherless homes (Fathers.com, n.d.). Henceforth, the recurring theme of absent fathers in fiction - resulting from divorce, bereavement or personal choice - is expected. The question of how that issue is being captured and translated onto paper arises - Are authors providing readers of different age brackets relatable or comprehensible content for this issue? Seeing that in reality, these children suffer substantially from the consequences; behavioural problems, substance abuse, child obesity, etc (Fatherhood.org, n.d.). The purpose of this essay is to explore the impact of fatherlessness on a character and overall plot of a story. By doing so, I hope to distinguish the various approaches, techniques
In the year 1962, a child would have had an 86% chance of having both parents present and living in the home. Many children in today’s generation do not have that privilege. One of the largest shifts in the family structure is the percentage (34%) of children and adolescents living with an unmarried parent. What exactly defines a single-parent household? “A single parent household can be defined as families where a parent lives with dependent children, either alone or in a larger household, without a spouse or partner.” This is an issue that continues to rise progressively each and every year, which in result has become a major concern to social scientists, child psychologists, and public officials across the nation. The effects of adolescents growing up in single-parent homes could be detrimental to their future if it is not handled properly or in a Biblical manner.
Shiono, P., & Quinn, L. S. (1994). Epidemiology of Divorce . Children and divorce, 4. Retrieved April 17, 2014, from http://futureofchildren.org/publications/journals/article/index.xml?journalid=63&articleid=408§ionid=2781
Children’s growth and development start at a very early age. Every child develops at their own pace. Through the stages of development, people are able to see the changes in their emotional, cognitive, and physical growth. A child may grow up to be loud and very outgoing while another may grow up to be quiet and reserved. Some may have more social, emotional, and behavioral problems than others. We know every child, every person is different. Some could have inherited characteristics from their parents. Or some may have picked up these “ways” by observing. Some children may not be in the best of places growing up such as being in a family where physical abuse is present, alcohol and drugs, or family issues between parents leading to divorces. Parents being divorced or having a parent walk out in the family and never returning could negatively impact a growing child especially witnessing the leave.