Question:
What insight do you have on some of the recent
problems of violence we are dealing with in our schools?
Answer:
It's no secret that many of today's young people face a
crisis. In the average school day a child may confront
more moral dilemmas than their grandparents
experienced in their entire childhood. Society's social
security blanket has been ripped from the arms of our
children. Today many children are left only with the
fragments of a crumbling nuclear family that
traditionally had dad and mom at home. But today with
so many children growing up in single-parent families,
kids are vulnerable and caring parents are left feeling
confused and helpless. Some notable facts are:
Both caring parents at home provide the most
secure setting for children. So fight for your
marriage, make it a priority, the welfare of many
depend on it.
I f you are already separated, and reconciliation is
impossible, maintain a friendly relationship with
your former spouse. Both parents need to be
extensively involved in their children's lives.
Fatherless children are at greater risk for:
Suicide
Poor grades
Aggression toward parents
Lower self esteem
Sexual activity
Behavior problems
Variety of psychological problems
Daughters of single parent families are more likely
to: marry as teenagers by 53%; have premarital
births by 164%; and dissolve their own marriages
by 93%.
Raising children today is not for cowards!
Fatherhood is probably the hardest job you will
ever love. We are dedicated to help strengthen
families; call our caring professionals at The Rice -
Lewis Clinic for a free telephone consult.
Sources: University of Florida, Fatherwork and the
National Center for Fathering, and The U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services.
Answered by: Robert Rice, M.D.