The Role of Father
"BY DIVINE DESIGN, FATHERS ARE TO PRESIDE OVER THEIR FAMILIES IN LOVE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS AND ARE RESPONSIBLE TO PROVIDE THE NECESSITIES OF LIFE AND PROTECTION FOR THEIR FAMILIES" (The Church, 1995).
A Divine Calling
"To father a child is more than a biological act or fulfillment of a social role. To father a child is to accept a divine calling, a moral stewardship, and a lasting commitment across generations" (Brotherson, 2012). A father's "leadership of the family is [his] most important and sacred responsibility
and the "family is the most important unit in time and in eternity and, as such, transcends every other interest in life" (Hunter, 1994).
"Every man has the opportunity to be a father by being a guiding influence to someone else. Thankfully, for those who don’t have fathers, or who aren’t fathers themselves, fatherhood is not limited to one’s own flesh and blood. Whether an uncle, a teacher, a friend, or a community leader, we are all deeply indebted to the moral, steadying influence of good men in our lives" (The Church, 2015).
A Father's Influence
L. Tom Perry, an Apostle of the Lord, counseled, "Next to eternal life, the greatest of all gifts that our Father in heaven can bestow on a man is the opportunity of being blessed with sons and daughters. Enjoy the inspiration of God, our Eternal Father, to lead, guide, and direct your families in righteousness. You stand at the head of the only organization I know of that can be eternal" (Perry, 1977).
"Involved fathers bless children from the time of birth onward. Preschool children whose fathers are involved and interact positively with them display greater cognitive ability, more individual control, and more empathy than other children" (Pleck, 1997). "As children grow older, positive involvement by fathers is strongly associated with fewer behaviors involving externalizing (negative actions) and internalizing (negative emotions). Both boys and girls who have positively involved fathers show higher social competence and experience fewer problems in school" (Mosley & Thomson, 1995). A "father's generative engagement with children accounted for a significant portion of their educational and occupational attainment in young adulthood" (Snary, 1993).
Preside
The word "preside" means to lead and guide and to take responsibility for the family’s welfare. Presiding in family life means to "assume a moral commitment to nurture and guide the next generation and transmit lasting values" (Brotherson, 2002). President Ezra Benson (1984) taught, "God established that fathers are to preside in the home. Fathers are to provide love, teach, and direct". Presiding "meaningfully binds a father to his child and inspires him to meet his child's needs through responsible and responsive involvement" (Dollahite, 2003). "To be present in fathering is to act on the obligation to be there for one's child with your physical presence and availability, mental awareness and engagement, and practical involvement in their lives and activities" (Brotherson, 2012).
Fathers have the "responsibility of spiritual leadership in family life as part of a loving Eternal Father's plan for family functioning. The manner in which a father is to exercise spiritual guidance among family members is explicitly articulated: 'in love and righteousness'. It is only through the gentle application of love and the consistent example of personal spiritual attentiveness that spiritual persuasion can be appropriately exercised" (Brotherson, 2012).
Provide
"To provide in fathering is to assume the stewardship of meeting children's needs and offering opportunities for their development, as well as dedicating one's time, energy, and resources for the benefit of the next generation" (Brotherson, 2012).
"A useful conceptualization of providing includes three key aspects: financial and resource capital, human capital, and social capital...Financial and resource capital involves fathers' efforts to generate money and material resources to be invested in supporting the healthy development of children. The human capital aspect involves fathers' efforts to contribute skills and knowledge to children and invest their time and energy in assisting children to develop knowledge and skills to support themselves and others. Finally, the social capital dimension of providing involves giving time and energy to relationships and opportunities that will benefit and guide a child" (Christiansen & Palkovitz, 2001).
Protect
"Protecting in fathering [is] to arouse one's sense of responsibility and actively work to ensure that children avoid risks or personal harm by modeling positive behaviors, mentoring children in personal abilities, and monitoring their behaviors and environments" (Brotherson, 2012). Modeling positive behavior "is perhaps the most powerful method of teaching young people". From his example, "children are able to learn and acquire habits of behavior that will protect them". Further, "fathers who choose moral living protect their children and families from the negative consequences of their own sins or poor behavioral choices".
Fathers play an important role in mentoring, as they teach a child to "develop skills and knowledge needed for making their own wise choices in life. Fathers face the twin tasks of protecting children from harmful outcomes while equipping them with skills and knowledge to handle diverse challenges and consequences". Finally, "a father's presence and protective attention can warn away outside threats. Fathers who monitor their children can limit the risky behaviors that children might attempt or choose to pursue" (Brotherson, 2012).
References
Benson, Ezra T. (1984). Counsel to the Saints. Ensign, May.
Brotherson, Sean E. (2012). Honor Thy Father: Key Principles and Practices in Fathering. In A. Hawkins (Ed.), Successful marriages and families: Proclamation principles and
research perspectives (p. 140-149). Provo, UT: BYU Studies and School of Family Life, Brigham Young University.
Christiansen, S. L., & Palkovitz, R. (2001). Why the "good provider" role still matters. Journal of Family Issues, 22, 84-106.
Dollahite, D. C. (2003). Fathering for eternity: Generative spirituality in Latter-day Saint fathers of children with special needs. Review of Religious Research, 44, 237-251.
Hunter, H. W. (1994). Being a Righteous Husband and Father. Ensign, Nov.
Mosley, J., & Thomson, E. (1995). Fathering behavior and child outcomes; The role of race and poverty. In W. Marsiglio (Ed.), Fatherhood: Contemporary theory, research, and
social policy (pp. 148-165). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Perry, L. Tom. (1977). Father-Your Role, Your Responsibility. Ensign, Nov.
Pleck, J. H. (1997). Paternal involvement: Levels, sources, and consequences. In M.E. Lamb (Ed.), The role of the father in child development (3rd ed., pp. 66-103). New York:
John Wiley & Sons.
Snarey, J. (1993). How fathers care for the next generation; A four-decade study. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Universtity Press.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. (1995). The Family: A Proclamation to the World. Ensign, November, 102.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (2015) A Father's Love. Retrieved from http://fatherhood.mormon.org