# data[].attributes.body
Cameron Baker (sophomore, youth ministry major, toothless wonder)

Nora Sell (sophomore, youth minister, can do the worm)

Lorelai Raedeke (freshman, environmental science major, never lived in house)

Lily Hood (freshman, social work major, cracked at gaga ball)

Faith Kerr (freshman, social work major, touch tongue to nose)

# data[].attributes.body
A father's involvement in a child's life is crucial and significant to their development. Having a father affects the behavior of children.

Father’s involvement in a household affects the family functions (can strengthen and improve the family if present and positive).

It’s important to know and to understand fatherhood challenges in order to best provide programs and interventions designed specifically for father’s. Some common challenges that should be understood: work-life

# data[].attributes.body
Fatherlessness is when a child grows up without a father in the home due to death, abandonment, or neglect.

Fathers significantly impact their children's development, influencing behavior, academic performance, and mental health. Their absence can lead to low self-esteem and increased risks of anxiety and destructive behaviors.

Government support of single parents (most often mothers) often does more harm than good by discouraging the presence of a father through taking away financial support.

In poor communities, where those checks are more depended on, the widespread lack of fathers can create more significant issues in the community such as increased and more severe crime.

In relation to the child's faith, they don't have that role model of who a father is supposed to be, so their faith might struggle, especially when thinking about who God is as our Father.

# data[].attributes.body
When looking at the impacts of a father being absent in the home, there are multiple that involve the impact on a child. Firstly, the child is more likely to experience academic struggles.

Specifically, the child will have a shorter attention span compared to their other classmates, they tend to score lower test scores, and are more likely to be a high school dropout.

Furthermore, the child also tends to experience symptoms of anxiety and depression. They often believe that other children with both parents hold more worth and value compared to themselves.

As a result of this they are motivated to ask questions like, why did they leave, and often believe it was their fault. The absence of a father leads to a child having a low view of self-worth, which may lead into destructive behaviors such as, substance abuse, prostitution, and exploitation of others.

Overall the absence of a father leads to a poor view of self which causes an abundance of problems for the youth, mentally and physically.

# data[].attributes.body
The impacts of Fatherlessness within communities are massive. Some major impacts are the decrease of mental health, bad education, and crime. Mental health is hard enough as a young kid grows up, then on top of that a kid has to cope with not having a father figure in their life.

This would result in anxiety, social withdrawal, and increased risk of suicide.

Secondly, data shows that 71% of high school dropouts are from fatherless homes. On the flip side, a student with both parents engaged in their education performs at a much better standard.

Lastly, crime is much more prevalent within an individual that experienced fatherlessness, never lived with their father, or their father was an alcoholic. The America First Policy Institute(AFPI) says, “...children without fathers in the home are 279% more likely to carry guns and deal drugs compared to peers living with their fathers.”

With all this to say about mental health, education, and crime, it all translates to how our communities are. Bad things start off small, within families, and then are amplified into how people act and react within relationships with each other. Which then translates into how your neighborhood is looked at and how safe it is.

# data[].attributes.body
The role of a father has a huge impact on how to train a child as they grow up and how the child will walk with God. Fathers are God's instruments to practice discipline and instruction in the home, which is why it is imperative that a father knows his role and follows through.

1 Timothy 3:4-5 states that “He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church?” This verse is saying that good dads make good church leaders. but Paul asserts in Titus 1:6 that the church needs men who love their children and are great at nurturing them in the Lord.

# data[].attributes.body
Fathers significantly impact their children's development, influencing behavior, academic performance, and mental health. Their absence can lead to low self-esteem and increased risks of anxiety and destructive behaviors.

Understanding the challenges fathers face can help create better support programs. Fatherlessness also affects communities, contributing to higher crime rates and educational struggles. In churches, strong fathers are essential for guiding children’s spiritual growth, reinforcing the importance of effective family leadership for healthier communities.

# data[].attributes.body
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Y3HSAJKq2PeYkyJo2sxks?si=9IDkEA6FSYKyn-iplFFODA    This episode talks about the father absence crisis  in America. It covers the frequency of this scenario occurring which is one in every four children who live without a biological, step or adoptive father in the home. The Spokane Fatherhood Initiative is working towards bringing change to that statistic by helping grow the strength of fathers and their presence in their kids' lives. (Nora)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Fatherlessness & The Spokane Fatherhood Initiative w/ Ron Hauenstein

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Episode · Life Renovation Podcast · There is a father absence crisis in America! According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 1 out of 4 children in the U.S. are living without a biological, step or adoptive father in the home--enough children to fill New York city twice or Los Angeles four times over. The Spokane Fatherhood Initiative is helping to change that statistic by coming alongside men from every walk of life and helping them to become stronger fathers by providing proven, evidence based training and the resources they need. Glendie Loranger recently sat down with Executive Director of SpoFi, Ron Hauenstein to find out the difference they are making right here in Spokane! Show Notes: Find out more about how to become a 24/7 Dad through SpoFi’s Fatherhood Training Classes here. Thanks for joining us today. Don’t forget to rate the podcast and share with someone you know who will benefit! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Life Renovation is a ministry of Life Services Spokane, a 501c3 based out of Spokane, WA. To learn more about our work with those impacted by unplanned pregnancy, fatherlessness or past abortions please visit our website at www.lifeservices.org

# data[].attributes.body
Cam’s Podcast

https://www.ted.com/talks/kent_d_ballard_jr_the_life_long_impact_of_absent_fathers?subtitle=en

Summary:

There are different types of fathers that each person experiences. There is the, “Disney dad” who is up for anything, always available for anything.  The “hollow dad” is in the home but is emotionally unavailable. The “peekaboo dad” is constantly in and out of the child's home. The “hopscotch dad” is in and out of the child's life due to legal reasons. Finally there are “angel dads” who are gone due to death. He defines “Fatherlessness” as putting the responsibility of being engaging, enlightening, encouraging, and equipping their children. The children who have these attributes influenced on them are more inclined to be better emotionally, physically, educationally, and spiritually prominent. This then feeds into how they grow up into who they are as adults.

Takeaways:

70% of African American kids grow up without a father

Kent Ballard learned how to be a man through, what he calls inverse intelligence, which is taking what you experience and then doing the opposite of that to make a new reality for yourself.

He leaves us with 4 main takeaways: Everything starts within, acknowledge that your father may not have provided what you’ve longed for, you have more power than you think, and appreciate those who have walked with you

Different types of Fathers; Disney, Hollow, Peekaboo, Hopscotch, and Angel dads.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Kent D. Ballard, Jr.: The life-long impact of absent fathers | TED Talk

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Fatherlessness impacts every area of a person’s life.

# data[].attributes.body
How do you think the experience of fatherlessness shapes an individual’s view of relationships and trust later in life? What strategies can we implement to help those affected rebuild their sense of security and connection?

# data[].attributes.body
The absence of a child’s father can often have strong effects on the other relationships the child develops throughout life. Some of them include:

if their earthly father leaves them, that impacts how they view their heavenly Father and skew the relationship between God and the child.

Furthermore, their perception of themselves and their self image can be warped.

Trust issues can come up in their relationship with others

Creation can be a possible place for consistency and healing for the child.

# data[].attributes.body
Podcast: Powerlessness in Parenting and Marriage

Summary: This podcast talks of the importance of living a life of a Biblical worldview. More specifically, living this life within the range of marriage and parenting is crucial. Having a Biblical worldview will lead to a strong and successful marriage. This podcast also touches on why having a strong marriage is so important when it specifically comes to parenting.

My Takeaways:

Parents cannot and should not put this expectation of paradise on anything. They cannot think that their children will bring them paradise (or their marriage, etc.).

You cannot put expectations on your child. Any sort of expectation leaves you hurt and hopeless, then leading to affecting your relationship with those you expected from.

With the way God created, we are naturally going to be in awe of something. Our awe is originally meant to be for God. But, with the world we live in, our desires take control of our hearts. With this being said, we should still strive every day to be in awe of God in everything we do. This should be obvious to others and encouraging (especially to our children).

There are two ways to parent: the ambassador way or the ownership way. Parenting in the form of ownership means “what do I want for my children, what do I want them to be, and what do I want from them” (words I used from a previous assignment in OVC). It puts you as the parent in the focal point of everything, expecting everyone and everything to revolve around you. It’s all selfish based. But, the ambassador's parenting style is to represent Christ. To understand that God wants us to lead our children to Him, not ourselves. We should be “driven by His message, His methods, His character… We are only to exercise God’s authority (His love, His grace, His protection, etc.)” (words I used from a previous assignment in OVC).

A child learns love through being loved. A child feels security through being secured. They experience these things through others, but the biggest impact of understanding God’s love is through our earthly fathers. If a child does not have a present or a stable earthly father, then it messes up the image of God and His love for us. We cannot let these kids go on with life like this. We are called to try to fill this gap with fathers a part of the body of Christ to step in. Children need an adult who is consistent and will show up for them, who will see them and hear them, who will love them, and most importantly point them to the love of God.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
ThinkOrphan | Resources for Excellence in Loving Orphaned Children

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
adoption, advocacy, CAFO, fostercare, Karen Hutcheson, missions, orphanage, orphancare, parenting, Paul Tripp, Phil Darke, podcast, ThinkOrphan, trauma | ThinkOrphan

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
adoption, advocacy, CAFO, fostercare, Karen Hutcheson, missions, orphanage, orphancare, parenting, Paul Tripp, Phil Darke, podcast, ThinkOrphan, trauma

# data[].attributes.body
Why do you think that the experience of healthy love and support is so essential at such a young age in order for an individual to thrive in life?

# data[].attributes.body
Summary: Mentors are a vital substitute for children who don’t have a father figure. In any strong relationship, communication and consistency are crucial in relationships. Important for security for kids and how they take that stuff so personally if you are not clear and do not explain and communicate our absence.

Showing up for someone is huge! Simply being there for someone and walking through life with them, encouraging them can impact their life drastically, remaining consistent with fidelity.

Children want to be what they see, meaning we need to set good examples for those who are looking up to us, showing them a Christ-like example and taking time to disciple their lives.

We need to realize that sin is at the core of all problems. Acknowledging that sin only corrupts and by working from the root up would help solve issues more steadily than blaming other factors for the problem.

There is a need for formal and informal mentors right around us. We don’t have to go searching for needs across the world to send out tithing money/time to. I can do research for organizations or just look around my neighborhood and church to be a mentor for those in need.

Another thing that stood out to me was that communication and consistency are crucial in relationships. The woman mentioned consistency towards the end being important for security for kids and how they take that stuff so personally if you are not clear and do not explain and communicate our absence.

Even if a mentor is in the kid’s life for only a few years, a steady, loving relationship with an adult man or older “brother” makes a significant impression. As a mentor, you don’t need to be perfect or a surrogate father, but you can be a role model and a source of a steady, healthy relationship.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
ThinkOrphan | Resources for Excellence in Loving Orphaned Children

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
12. Combating Fatherlessness with Dr. John Sowers | ThinkOrphan

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In this episode, we hear from John Sowers, President of The Mentoring Project, as well as an author and speaker. We talk about the effects of fatherlessness on our society and the influence of mentoring on the lives of children. He is a powerful advocate for the fatherless and redeeming their story through mentoring. In

# data[].attributes.body
Do you know anybody in your life who's been a good mentor to you? Or someone who you think would be good as a mentor? What are ways you could grow in being a mentor (formally or informally)?

# data[].attributes.body
Summary: Even though you might be in a disadvantageous position as a child with an absent father, that does not prevent you from achieving your desires and goals. People might tell you that you can’t do something, or are unlikely to be able to do it, but that isn’t necessarily true. The main theme of the podcast was about empowering people to resist others’ put downs.

Simply being in a category that is known for being worse off does not mean you will be worse off.

Be careful about how you talk about statistics and likelihoods. Clarify that the statistics aren’t a locked box children can’t escape, but rather a danger to avoid.

Stereotyping people off of the parental situation is not a fair representation of what a person's life will turn out to be.

Don’t allow what's outside to control you.

Children learn by what they see around them.

Acceptance builds confidence, community nurtures it, and the wonder affirms it.

Procrastination is an assassination to your destination.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Impact of an Absent Father on their Daughter | Barbara Demetrius-Powell | TEDxFederalHill

# data[].attributes.body
How can you use what you discovered today to take on a new lens as you walk through life? Are you already thinking of those who are walking through the repercussions of their father not being present? How can you meet them where they are at, and come alongside them in what you can provide? (Your time, your prayer, etc)

# data[].attributes.body
How does one go about forgiving their father for leaving, after they’ve been abused and experienced trauma due to their fathers absence?

# data[].attributes.body
www.census.gov/library/stories/2019/11/the-two-extremes-of-fatherhood.html