It has become a common scenario in the United States that when fathers begin trying to build their businesses or careers are often the same times when their children are very young and most in need of them to be present. Unfortunately, when fathers work hard to achieve the necessary financial successes to support their families and the increasing pressures on their household incomes, they tend to have young children around who they do not see as much as they otherwise would. Fathers these days tend to feel that they are the ones ultimately responsible in the family to bring home the bread and pay for all sorts of things that children and families need such as school fees, clothing, home supplies, and gifts during the holidays. Such expectations can make it especially stressful for fathers to find the necessary work and life balance to help them both provide for their families and remain visible, present figures in the lives of their children.
When fathers are straining under the demands of work or business, they might appear to be transitory or absent figures in the lives of their children, particularly when those children are young and likely to be fast asleep in bed when their fathers return from home during the week. In many jobs, fathers are required to work far away from home or be available to do jobs involving clients and working long into the afternoon and evening, particularly when they are just beginning their careers. As a result, fathers may find it increasingly difficult to fit in time for their families, their work, and themselves during the evening and weekends, as it is also necessary to take time to recharge personally after a long day or week.
However, children need emotional support from their fathers just as much as they need financial support, if not more. In fact, once their basic needs for food and shelter are being met, children will benefit far more from attention and time from their fathers than they will from extra food and extra shelter that they don’t really need to be happy and functional individuals. As a result, as more fathers become aware of the importance of being an effective and present father figure in their children’s lives, they become more likely to make changes to enable them to do more and spend more time with their children instead of at the office. More and more men have sought ways to reduce the number of hours they are required to spend at work so they can be present at home for all sorts of big and small events in the lives of their children, from bath times to dinner times to sporting and recital events to days in the park. People have begun to recognize that time lost with children cannot be recovered by any amount of money in the future, and the knowledge that children grow up quickly and change the moment we turn our heads has made fathers more likely to reevaluate their priorities in recent decades. A change in priorities often results in slightly less money to talk about and stuff in the bank accounts, but the tradeoff is always worth it for the chance to watch your children grow and take a more active role in their lives.
There are different ways to become a significant role model or an effective father figure; in some cases, there is the immediate family and close friends, including birth fathers, stepfathers, grandparents and uncles, and then friends of the family and neighbors. There are often likely to be figures from the child’s community, such as teachers, coaches, and tutors, who can also play significant roles in affecting the outcomes of impressionable children. Mentoring has also become an increasingly popular way for people with time to become effective male role models for children. Fathers are important in every aspect of kids’ lives.