Fathers Disappear From American Households: Are You Worried?

Of course it matters. You think you can raise kids without a father? It's bad for everyone, mother, sons, daughters. And now the homo's are claiming the right to raise kids with two "mothers" or two "fathers" as if this were perfectly fine and normal. The society is sick.

Yes. Children coming from broken homes are more likely to have societal and behavioral problems later in life. A strong loving family with both a mother and father in the home is very important.

Children need a father figure in their lives, a good one.

As for the forced marriage question.... No because sometimes there is good reasons why relationships end and parents end up raising children on their own, forcing them to quickly find another mate isnt going to get them off welfare, it may in fact end up causing welfare to pay for the whole family instead of just the single parent and children.

Prisons are full of fathers and fatherless people.

First off, born out of wedlock =/= fatherless. And while I do think having two parents is a good thing I don't think single parenting is the real issue. There is a lot more that could be said on this but I am having trouble finding the words at the question of FORCING PEOPLE TO MARRY. I- You- Honestly trapping and forcing people into marriages is probably the very worst idea I have ever heard. Marriage is supposed to be a partnership in life between two people forged in love, trust, respect, and care. To force people to chose to undertake it just so that they may feed their children is a wicked, despicable idea that spits in the face of not only the idea and sanctity of marriage, but personal freedoms, not to mention the example THAT would set for the children caught in the middle.

When bad behavior is rewarded, the result will be more bad behavior. When good behavior is punished, the result will be less good behavior. The government provides financial incentives to encourage fatherless homes when women can simply marry the State and be supported by taxpayers. Once again, "Progressive" stupidity is at the heart of the problem.

A single parent can raise a child by themselves. Ive met a few that have, and they turn out fine.

You don't necessarily need both parents in the picture. I'm biased--I grew up in a single-parent household. But I turned out fine, because my mother was EDUCATED and made an HONEST living.

I think that that makes the world of difference. So long as we encourage the females in our society to pursue an EDUCATION in a field that is USEFUL--like engineering, medicine, even agriculture or business--I honestly think things would be better, even if the fathers of the world decide not to be part of those families.

Really, chastity before marriage is ridiculous and outdated. But maybe things would be better if everyone kept their pants on until they received some degree of education and had some money squirreled away in case a kid popped into the picture. It would be safe to assume that perhaps crime rates would drop as would the amount of families on welfare....

there are too many irresponsible fathers who just "disappear" and their spouses don't seem even to care?

Society/government has gone out of the way to make normal boyish/manly behavior a crime. Check the ways that children are taught in school. More men are taught that they are unnecessary for a functional family so they learn to become DNA donors instead of being the important father figure.

It's not just the fathers at fault, as men and woman are equal in hooking up, sleeping around, and generally being irresponsible where sex is concerned.

A new mindset is needed whereby people see sex as something actually meaningful. As marriage in and of itself does nothing to insure that the father stays long term, that's a larger issue related to the levels of social intelligence these days and how most people can't get along well with others.

This is what happens when you take God out of the equation. Children are reared without consequences for bad behavior so what do you expect?

Most dead beat dads are christian. care to explain?

Who can explain liberals, certainly not me. Where are your facts to back up that stupid comment that most deadbeat dads are Christians. We both know better but what's amazing you expect me to believe it.

I think there is too much of a correlation here but not much of a causation.

Statistically, the fathers who are most likely to run out on their families are those who are already living in poverty, drug related environments, violent/gang environments, often the father (and the mother) are both involved in these hobbies themselves.

So it is not necessarily the absence of a father that is causing these problems, but the environment where fathers are likely to leave.

Most middle class mothers in good neighborhoods raising kids alone do raise very good kids, I've always believed general environment plays more role than just the parents being around.

For a lot of my life I was raised by my father (After my mother left) alone, and I preferred it that way too.

Here's my 2 cents...

Its not marriage that's important. If 2 people love each other, they will stay with each other regardless of marriage. Its rather clear that this is true by looking at the Homosexual community seeing as they are still fighting for their rights in the matter.

What is important is that parents stay together. Too many times people rush into a relationship or have 1 night stands that end badly.

If the father is willing to run out on his family, then he's not a man, and therefore not really a father, either. He's simply a sperm donor, and nothing more. This isn't what's causing a bigger gap in income equality. Lack of providing income equality by corporations is what is causing income inequality.

If we want to encourage marriage before having children, we should make it mean something for everyone, not just heterosexuals.

Should the government get involved? Like that would happen. They don't get involved in what they're supposed to be doing, right now, which includes making sure that the absent fathers pay child support.

Should welfare and government entitlements require welfare moms to look for a husband? I'm sorry, but the question is obviously brought up by someone who's retarded. That's like telling someone they can't rent a house, unless they are either married, or actively looking for someone to marry. With the restrictions on marriage, and the ease of divorce, society has made marriage meaningless, except as something to take care of the spouse after one of them dies.

If they're anything like my father, the kids are better off.

Fathers disappearing from American households is very worrisome.

say what now?

I'm growing up without my dad and it S U C K S. I don't want my kids to feel the same way when I grow up and have them.

Sigh.
I blaim both genders. No compromise plus arrogant independence and false self-sufficency equals single parent households.

Sorry folks - you can't have it both ways.

Am I worried? no. Do I care? no.

Father around ?

He used to be but I haven't seen him in about five years

That explains why we need them.....

“We have one class that thinks marriage and fatherhood is important, and another which doesn’t, and it’s causing that gap, income inequality, to get wider." Herein lies at least part of the problem, perception. I believe many absent fathers would be involved in their children's lives if they could afford to support them financially. From the other "class" the writer refers to, that class also has a disproportionate amount of felons who can't find employment. Still regardless of the financial situation, fathers who want to be involved in their children's lives should be able to.

If you cant afford to properly raise and nurture one THEN DONT HAVE THREE !!!!! for the taxpayer to support

There are many fully capable single mothers. Sure, it would be a lot easier having a double income or at least another person to help out but honestly, if you're so weak in the mind that you'd pick up and leave your family and your responsibilities, you probably aren't that useful to begin with and better gone.

some of these absentee fathers who didn't stay in the home probably can't raise kids. But it worries me that they mate so often and abandon their families.

I was with you until after the first comma. What're you babbling about?

Is this, like, a thing because you're Wonder Woman, or are you really this sexist?

Oh no...

I grew up without my father, and I'm pretty damn amazing. I had my mother, and if it'd been just my father, and I didn't have my mother I would still be fine.

The government does not need to step in; what do we need to government for?
Welfare should NOT force women with children nor men with children to go look for a husband/wife. That's a ludicrous thing to even consider; not every single parent is heterosexual either.

you (mostly your mother) defied the statistics.

She used to defy gravity too, or at least, that's what the trick looked like anyway.

Welfare has nothing to do with it , Being responsible with your eggs or your sperm is the problem. And being a single parent places additional stress on all persons involved (despite what your whole 19 years of existence tells you). If one is not willing to make the commitment to properly raise a child then dont have one, ITS NOT THAT DIFFICULT to not have a child on your weekend fling if you dont want to. The irresponsiblity of those that Johnny man seed of Joanie egg crate and leave a trail of confused and neglected children in their wake is what is causing our society to decline.