Fatherlessness, OVC 110, F2025Dr. Sisson by

cali_whitton — 2025-10-01 16:10:33 UTC

abby_fee — 2025-10-01 16:16:29 UTC

Abby Fee, Psychology, Sophomore

cali_whitton — 2025-10-01 16:17:06 UTC

Cali Whitton, OVC and Christian Min, Freshman

ladavis4302 — 2025-10-01 16:18:38 UTC

Lucy Davis, OVC, Freshman

alayna_gee — 2025-10-01 16:19:37 UTC

Alayna Gee, Undecided, Freshman

What Skills do I need?

ladavis4302 — 2025-10-01 16:27:29 UTC

While that we have seen the roles fathers have on children we can figure out what skills we need to help kids without fathers. According to the website called "A Father's Impact on Child Development" it talks about some tips dads can do to help their kids. However, we can take these tips and apply them to our own lives to help kids who don't have fathers. For example, it says to establish time with the child. So we should find times throughout our day to establish a relationship with the child. It also says to know the child and be known. For this we need to listen to the child and hear them but at the same time show them who we are and be open about ourselves to them. 10*

info

alayna_gee — 2025-10-01 16:30:36 UTC

Fathers’ play in the early years can positively contribute to children’s social, emotional, and cognitive outcomes. 1*

1

alayna_gee — 2025-10-01 16:30:43 UTC

Amodia-Bidakowska, Laverty, C., & Ramchandani, P.G. (2020). Father-child play: A systematic review of its frequency, characteristics and potential impact on children’s development. Developmental Review, 57, Article 100924

Scope

alayna_gee — 2025-10-01 16:31:37 UTC

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 17.6 million children, nearly 1 in 4, live without a biological, step, or adoptive father in the home. 2*

2

alayna_gee — 2025-10-01 16:32:02 UTC

*U.S. Census Bureau. (2024). Living arrangements of children under 18 years old: 1960 to present. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Census Bureau.

cali_whitton — 2025-10-01 16:34:20 UTC

How does God call us to this?

rebecca_pschigoda — 2025-10-01 16:34:22 UTC

In the Bible there is a lot of emphasis on how important a father is, this idea is presented to us a lot with the fact that Gods title is "God the Father".

In the bible men are also stated to be the head of the household, and this is best displayed when they have a strong role model or mentor to look up to.

rebecca_pschigoda — 2025-10-01 16:35:12 UTC

Rae Pschigoda, Marketing,OVC Freshman:)

What is the problem?

abby_fee — 2025-10-01 16:36:10 UTC

The scope of the problem in fatherlessness is that one in four children end up not having any male role model in their lives. 3*

What is the factors?

abby_fee — 2025-10-01 16:39:34 UTC

Some factors contributing to this issue would be what their living situation is like, marital situation, substance abuse, and self-esteem. These are more of a factor than age, employment status, income, or social support. 4*

Why is fatherlessness increasing in the the U.S?

alayna_gee — 2025-10-01 16:40:04 UTC

The rise in births to unmarried mothers has contributed strongly to the increase in households with missing fathers. While many unmarried women cohabit with a partner at the time of giving birth, these relationships fail at twice the rate of marriages 6*

The Aspects a Father Adds in a Child's Life

ladavis4302 — 2025-10-01 16:40:14 UTC

There are a good amount of things that contribute to this problem. While cultural norms make fathers in the household look as if they don't contribute a lot to the child's well being, that is ultimately not true. The website "A Father's Impact on Child Development" gives ten examples of how the role of a father figure in the household impacts a child positively. For example, they say that fathers provide psychological benefits, improvements in overall health, and academic achievement. 5*

6

alayna_gee — 2025-10-01 16:40:18 UTC

Brewer, Jack (2023) “Fatherlessness and its effects on American society”. May 15, America First Policy Institute, Washington, D.C.

3

abby_fee — 2025-10-01 16:40:37 UTC

4

abby_fee — 2025-10-01 16:40:57 UTC

5

ladavis4302 — 2025-10-01 16:41:02 UTC

Laws that affect Fatherlessness

rebecca_pschigoda — 2025-10-01 16:41:11 UTC

In many states when parents separate, custody is automatically granted to the mother, rather than the father.

Fathers have to go through more difficult steps to get custody. They must go through a long legal process.

Increase in Fatherlessness, and difference between races

alayna_gee — 2025-10-01 16:43:32 UTC

In 2022, 40% of all births in the US were to unmarried women, a four-fold increase since 1970. Again, there is notable variability across the major US social groups: 16% for Asians, 22% for Whites, 42% for Hispanics and 69% for Blacks. 7*

7

alayna_gee — 2025-10-01 16:43:59 UTC

Osterman, Michelle J. et al. (2024) “Births: Final Data for 2022”. April 4, National Vital Statistics Reports, CDC, Washington, D.C.

Why the U.S has the highest

alayna_gee — 2025-10-01 16:46:56 UTC

Cultural Influences

cali_whitton — 2025-10-01 16:47:08 UTC

Cultural norms have an influence on the presence of the father in the household. One of these is the Feminist movement in the 1970s, and the rise of childbirth out of wedlock. This created a precedent for the future, with the idea that a father isn’t a necessity in the home. 8*

8

cali_whitton — 2025-10-01 16:47:28 UTC

Transforming the Culture of Fatherlessness | Acton Institute

How does it make people feel

abby_fee — 2025-10-03 16:17:11 UTC

Studies have shown that kids who grow up without a father are more likely to be aggressive, depressed, have low self-esteem, do poorly in school, and use drugs. Children may experience various emotions as they grow up without a father. It can really affect them in the long run. 9*

9

abby_fee — 2025-10-03 16:17:32 UTC

Podcast

abby_fee — 2025-10-08 15:43:11 UTC

Key Points:

Growing up without a father leaves lasting emotional and identity struggles
Healing starts with facing the pain and not ignoring it
Fatherlessness can lead to strength and personal growth when someone chooses to break the cycle
Real healing involves community, honesty, and self-compassion

Recommendation:

I recommend this video because it is honest and emotional. Anthony Douglas shares his own story, which helps viewers understand the effects of fatherlessness. It even shows that pain can be turned into purpose. It is a great reminder of how important vulnerability and reflection are for personal growth.

10

ladavis4302 — 2025-10-15 16:24:18 UTC

Video

alayna_gee — 2025-10-15 16:30:17 UTC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXaTKQ-JWjQ

Alayna

key points:

fathers need to take responsibility for their families and for engaging with them, and with his kids
children with both parents engaged are more likely to be well rounded educationally, socially, and emotionally
70% of children of African American children grow up in a single parent home.
There are many negative effects of not having a father such as more likely to have behavioral issues, and have children outside of wedlock
We need to hold each other accountable for what happens, and change the family from the inside out
We have to start with ourselves and what the your father has provided
I recommend this video because it makes the effects of fatherlessness so real, and the speaker was fatherless, so it is very interesting seeing how fatherlessness impacts someone and becoming a man. It also is cool to hear about how he made a effort to not be like his Dad, and to be the opposite of what he saw.

Fatherless effect

alayna_gee — 2025-10-15 16:35:44 UTC

ladavis4302 — 2025-10-15 16:38:41 UTC

rebecca_pschigoda — 2025-10-15 16:40:22 UTC

Mentorship

alayna_gee — 2025-10-15 16:49:04 UTC

Mentoring is a necessary skill to address this problem. It is instrumental in changing the tide of fatherlessness that is hitting America by equipping fathers with a support system to teach them how to parent intentionally, the importance of being present in the home, and how to set a good example for their kids and family.

Mentoring is also a necessary when interacting with kids who grew up fatherless. Special consideration for how to equip the kids with a mentorship pairing should be taken concerning this issue.

1 Timothy 5:8

abby_fee — 2025-10-15 16:49:13 UTC

Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever

Ephesians 6:4

ladavis4302 — 2025-10-24 16:16:36 UTC

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

growing up fatherless

alayna_gee — 2025-10-24 16:17:40 UTC

alayna_gee — 2025-10-24 16:28:20 UTC

"Whether good or bad or all-together absent, fathers impact the lives of their sons. My story is, perhaps, a bit unique as I grew up both fatherless and fathered. Where my story is not unique is that, even though I had a good example of living life as a man, growing up, I did not have a complete example."

alayna_gee — 2025-10-24 16:29:45 UTC

By engaging in this work, we are able to cultivate and formulate whole families, putting them back in right relationship with each other, and hopefully in the process, with God.

The view of Biblical Theism

abby_fee — 2025-10-24 16:37:15 UTC

Fatherlessness is a mission for Christians because, as Psalm 68:5 states, God is a Father to the fathers, and so believers are called to take that as an example and emulate His character. God commands people to care for the vulnerable (Deuteronomy 14:29). This shows that God defends the weak.

Individual Portion

abby_fee — 2025-10-28 23:41:11 UTC

Podcast

cali_whitton — 2025-10-31 13:11:49 UTC

A Fatherless Child's Journey towards Healing | Natalie Alexander | TEDxHuntsville

Key Points:

Girls and boys who grow up fatherless respond differently to male authority
Guys, in particular, have a difficult time accepting male direction and correction
Fathers can be physically present but emotionally absent, and it will have the same effect on a child

alayna_gee — 2025-11-03 03:29:21 UTC

Video

abby_fee — 2025-11-05 22:59:50 UTC

rebecca_pschigoda — 2025-11-07 16:38:19 UTC

alayna_gee — 2025-11-10 23:41:58 UTC

Our Fatherless Organization

ladavis4302 — 2025-11-18 21:15:53 UTC

cali_whitton — 2025-11-19 03:29:37 UTC

Video

ladavis4302 — 2025-11-19 04:40:08 UTC