The Importance of Positive Male Role Models

Many boys today don’t know what it means to be a man, and it’s often because they don’t have a man in their lives. So many children will go to bed tonight without saying goodnight to their father because he just isn’t there. Dad may work a lot, be deployed, or be distracted and uninvolved. He could be living somewhere else, have another family or not be in the picture at all. Whatever the situation, research shows that having a positive male role model is vital for child development.

Check this out:

• Nearly one-fourth of America’s children live in mother-only families.
• Of the children living with their mothers, 35 percent never see their father. 
• 24 percent of kids who live with their moms see their fathers less than once a month.
• Even in homes where the father is present, research shows that the average father spends less than 10 minutes a day one-on-one with his child. 

More than likely, women teach them at school and at home. 

So, where do they see and interact with positive male role models? 

Or, how do the boys learn what it means to be a man? Television? Movies? On the street? 

In our society, emotional and spiritual fatherlessness is becoming the norm. Many of today’s fathers didn’t have positive role models to show them how to be a father, either. As a result, they may be repeating the cycle of the absent father.

Irrefutable research shows that mothers are typically nurturing, soft, gentle, comforting, protective and emotional. Fathers, however, tend to encourage risk-taking and be challenging, prodding, loud, playful and physical. Children need a balance of protection and reasonable risk-taking.

Positive male role models have an excellent opportunity to step in and fill any void that exists.

In fact, doing so can help these children without positive male role models in so many ways. For instance, when Dad isn’t around, children are more likely to be involved in criminal activity, sexual activity, do poorer in school and participate in harmful activities.

Studies have shown that a father’s involvement or a positive male role model profoundly affects children. Father-child interaction promotes a child’s physical well-being, perceptual ability and competency for relating with others. Furthermore, these children demonstrate a greater ability to take initiative and evidence self-control.

The good news is that everyone can promote positive male role model involvement!

How can you make a positive difference for these children? 

• Mom, you can encourage positive male role model involvement in your child’s life.
• Non-custodial dad, you can make an effort to visit with your children more often and be intentional about teaching them important life lessons.
• Educators can encourage fathers to be more active in the classroom.
• Men can influence kids in your community by being the positive male role model they need.
• Faith-based institutions and programs can bring fathers together with their children and encourage men to engage children in their sphere of influence.
• Business leaders can encourage employee involvement in community efforts with children. For example, you can promote mentoring with organizations like Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Big Brothers-Big Sisters, youth groups, Boys Club or Girls, Inc.

Every child needs someone who is absolutely crazy about them. What can you do to make sure they what they need?