The Importance of a Father in Creating Essential Momentum
If you love sports, science, stories, music, or martial arts, you know about the word momentum. The universe, countries, culture, communities, families, and people are all influenced by momentum.
As a dad, you bring essential momentum to your home. You bring a specific type of feel, action, and movement to your home in all areas of life. The importance of a father can be seen physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and relationally in a family.
In more than two decades of providing counseling to families, I have gotten a close view into how a father’s actions impact their children’s lives. Although the life-giving power from a dad to his family is incredible and rarely discussed, God intentionally designed a father’s impact.
Ways God Designed the Importance of a Father
Here are a few ways that God designed dads to have a unique influence on their families:
- A father’s strength can be powerful
- A dad’s words can be fueling and inspirational
- Hugs from a dad can be deeply comforting
- A dad’s smiles can instill joy and confidence
- Time with a dad can be fun and productive
- A dad’s physicality can be challenging
- A dad’s guidance can be life-changing and foundational
- A father’s correction can be life-saving and life-giving
- Adventures with a dad can be exciting and memorable
Fathers are Essential Personnel
The key word in the previous list is “can.” A dad can bring many amazing things to their family. However, it initially requires realizing that you are essential personnel in your home as a dad.
You bring essential teaching, guidance, motivation, correction, love, and feedback. You can give these anywhere and with no limit in creative day-to-day ways. Your impact is foundational and long-lasting.
Researchers have found a variety of benefits stemming from a father’s use of an authoritative parenting style. This parenting style balances sensitivity and warmth with discipline and structure. Within an authoritative parenting style, a father’s children are less likely to have emotional and behavioral issues. His children are also more likely to do well socially, academically, relationally, and developmentally when he balances high levels of both sensitivity and limits.
Other research also provides insight into the various and unique benefits a dad can bring into their home and children’s lives. The following examples describe studies demonstrating the potential results from a father’s positive effective parenting.
- A dad’s sensitivity early in a boy’s life leads to fewer behavior issues later in the boy’s life.
- Unity in parenting between a mom and dad can result in more feelings of intimacy between a husband and wife, especially from a wife toward her husband. As a result, children have fewer emotional and behavioral issues.
- Sons who have a good relationship with their father tend to handle stress more effectively.
- Playing with fathers, including roughhousing, helps children develop self-control, problem-solving skills, and self-regulation skills.