There’s more to the role of being a father than just procreation, he’s the backbone of the family. Throughout history, the father has been a large part of the rest of the family’s lives. The most remembered fathers were able to find a balance between caring for the family, supplying their necessities, and keeping them safe from harm. It’s for this reason that we pay tribute to the past generations of those who took on the role of father.
The Producer
It’s without doubt that the male is the key to reproduction. Though the female carries the next generation to term, it’s the father that makes that child who they are. Not just in name, but in characteristics. Science has proven that the father determines whether the child will be a boy or a girl. In many cultures, the number of children a man fathers determines what kind of man he is.
The Protector
The one role of a father that has come down from prehistory is that of protector. This is true throughout nature and can be seen in just about every species. What started as a way to ensure that their line continued, the father has been known to put himself in peril in order to save his offspring. Even to this day, men go off to war as a means of keeping his family safe from those who would do harm.
The Provider
The father has always been though of as the great provider. He found ways to bring food to his family and to find them proper shelter. In ancient times, fathers grouped together in bands to help ensure a kill big enough to feed the entire village. Today the father goes off to work to ensure that he can feed those living within his home. Many of the items we take for granted were invented by fathers looking for a way to provide for their families.
The Teacher
Though it’s usually the mother that is thought of in this instance, fathers are just as good at teaching their children. Unlike most creatures in nature, humans aren’t known for their natural instincts. The father instructs his children on the ways of becoming an adult and a respectable part of society. He shows his sons how to be the type of men that a good woman would want to marry. He teaches his daughters what to watch out for as she begins her search for the perfect man.
The Trainer
A good father train his children how to survive during the tough times, and how to save things away during the good times. They teach their children how to catch a ball or bait a hook. They show them that no matter how big a man seems, there can always be a place in his heart for those he loves. He shows them how to grow their own food, how to bring meat to the table, and how to enjoy their life together as a whole unit.
The Trickster
Yet, no matter how much a father tries to teach his children, he finds time for fun. He enjoys playing with his children and seeing the world through their eyes. He gets excited at the sound of their laughter, he revels in watching their eyes light up in wonder, and he feels satisfaction in watching them sleep. He invents games that will give his children happiness, creates stories that mesmerize their minds, and shows them places they never knew existed.
There is no denying a mother’s place in a child’s life. But at the same time, a child needs a father to show them the world from another perspective. The father isn’t just the guy who lays on the couch watching sports, he’s an integral part of the family unit. And it’s because of the fathers of past generations that we, as humans, are who we are today.