Part 1 the problem of fatherlessness
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The document discusses factors that contribute to absentee fathers in the Black community and strategies to empower Black fathers. It lists many factors like employment issues, addiction, and dysfunctional relationships that can cause fathers to leave. When fathers leave, children express feelings of emptiness and loss. Programs aim to empower Black fathers by increasing their sense of competence, value, and power so they do not continue the cycle of being absent or uninvolved in their children's lives.
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Part 1 the problem of fatherlessness
- 2. It is a state of Life!
- 3. Has not created the “Great Society”
- 5. Many different factors contribute … Here are several : Employment issues Dysfunctional relationship with the child’s mother Addiction Welfare policies No commitment to marriage Life frustration Generational patterns (my dad left me, so I left my children) Selfishness Divorce … and the list goes on (Strong 2012).
- 6. Males express: Frustration Feeling Powerless Being Moneyless Children express: Emptiness Loss “father hunger”
- 7. Western “Ideal” Father Black Culture / Reality 1. Provider / Material Sustenance 1. Quality Time with Children 2. Legal and Genetic Endowment 2. Giving Emotional Support 3. Protection, Concern for Well-being of children 3. Providing Discipline 4. Formation to child’s character and personality 4. Role Model for Work Ethic, Respect 5. Caregiving (in a Paternal manner) 5. Teach: Boys -> Men Teach: Girls -> Ladies 6. Encourage Economic Support (usually provided by others)
- 8. Empowerment Strategies - Enable Black Fathers to perceive themselves as: Competent Valuable and Valued Worthwhile members of group Programs that increase: Power Self-sufficiency Unity To BREAK the cycle of absentee and uninvolved
- 10. Discussion:
Editor's Notes
- The Problem of “Fatherlessness” as it Pertains to the 20th Century World & Today By Seminarian James E. Kirschenmann
- In the early part of the 20th Century, the structure of the “average family” was much the same as it had been for much of the last 6,000 years. Yes, there were widows and orphans, the problem of being “fatherless” was a well-known situation and documented as a small percentage of the population, but one that was to be cared for by the larger population as a whole. (Tyson 1918). Something happened, though, with the Great War and then following quickly after that, World War II. In the 1930’s, about 17% of women were in the workforce and by the end of World War II in 1945 that number had risen to 25%. Mothers began spending long hours away from the family, even as fathers were off to war and many (estimated at 3-4 million) were killed in combat. Many who returned home were never able to readjust to family life. (Strong 2012).
- Why Does a Child Need a Father? Between 1960 and 1990, the percentage of children living apart from their father rose from 17 to 36, and it continues to rise. Today it is estimated that 43% of U.S. children live in a home without their fathers. And the problem is more severe in black communities, where the percentage is estimated to be above 48.5%. If the single mother must work to support the family, this leaves the children with a very fragmented connection to parents and their guidance. To get a perspective of what this means, in a gathering of 50 people at church, more than 24 of them have experienced the problem of “fatherlessness” in some way. The feelings are of a void, an insecurity, and a hopelessness. This is the psychological situation in almost half of the black population in America.
- While mothers typically will not leave their children under any circumstances, 24.7 million children live in America without their biological father. The costs of this fatherlessness are alarmingly steep: 63% of youth who take their lives grew up without a dad. Nearly all (90%) of homeless and runaway children are lacking a father’s stable influence. 71% of high school dropouts have absentee fathers. 85% of incarcerated young people come from fatherless homes. Poverty and crime are just two of the social ills fueled by father absenteeism in communities across our nations. It is an injury to society at large.
- While marriage is on the decline, divorce is on the rise. Divorce is probably one of the most vicious causes of father absenteeism; everybody loses, especially the children. Studies indicate that divorce rates have more than doubled in most countries between 1960 and 1990, in some countries they increased fourfold. Gallagher (1998) makes an observation that is quoted in Strong’s book: “One of the sad and surprising truths we are beginning to face is that unmarriage radically alters the father-child relationship. The children almost always experience this transformation as a profound loss.”
- Lack of physical presence of a biological father may be only one part of the issue. In many cases the “male figure” in the household may not have a connection with the child and does not express adequate skills to be a competent father. Thus, the male children grow up without knowing what a “good father” should be and are left without a good fathering skill set when they themselves become fathers, thus perpetuating the spiral downward. A father must not only be present, but must also be equipped with the necessary skills to act appropriately as a father to the child; otherwise he can do more harm than good. They also need skills to have a good marriage because the health of the marriage affects the health of the child. What is missing when a father is not in the lives of the children? It has been noted that there is pain that is felt and a corresponding emotional impact. There is a gnawing anxiety, and a desperate hunger for a dependable male love and an image of maleness that is not at odds with love: Father Hunger. This anguish cuts through to the deepest part of the human psyche – in both boys and girls. But there is a distinct difference between black society and white society in what is expected from a father.
- Most black fathers based their ideal of fatherhood primarily on their past relationship with their own fathers, and most notably what had been lacking from those relationships. Overall, the functions and roles of Black noncustodial fathers fell into six categories. The most important was spending time with the children. Increasingly, providing emotional support is what is definitely desired. Next is providing discipline, and then to be a role model. It is important to be able to teach boys how to be men, and girls how to be young ladies. And, after all of the above, the least important is to provide economic support. And so, it can be seen that the first two aspects for the black father - of spending time with children and providing emotional support - equate roughly to that of “caregiver” in the Western ideal, but rank at the top of the priorities. Spending time is not a specific amount of time, but the quality of the time spent is extremely important. Emotional support ranked high in the study and that generally meant that the child could count on his or her father in good times as well as bad times.
- Within the article by Hamer (1997) is a report by Karen L. Douglas, [formerly] Director, Central City Center Provident Counseling, Inc. that offers some very insightful comments, as follows: “In the past, the Black community’s response has been to call attention to Black victimization and to request and demand economic, social, and political restitution. Today, however, we need to focus on solutions instead of causes… The goal is empowerment strategies that enable Black fathers to perceive themselves as competent, valuable, worthwhile individuals and members of their cultural group… We must ensure that programs increase the power, self-sufficiency, and unity of Black men. We must fearlessly explore new alternatives while confronting behaviors in ourselves that contribute to the increasing problem of absentee and uninvolved fathers.” It is worth noting that Black fathers do not consider their role in their children’s life as one that could be fulfilled by the child’s mother. What is essential is a man’s presence, his love, and his affection. Time well spent will pay dividends in the future. How do we empower that?
- The video from www.GRIPyouth.com is compelling in that it gives the above causes from the perspective of the children who are impacted, and then asks “can you make a difference?” This closes out the initial session, and leads in to the next session.