Not everyone is fortunate to have a husband and a father that is committed to that role that they have undertaken. Sociologist David Popenoe said this: “The decline of fatherhood is one of the most basic, unexpected, and extraordinary social trends of our time. Its dimensions can be captured in a single statistic: In just three decades, between 1960 and 1990, the percentage of U.S. children living apart from their biological fathers more than doubled, from 17 percent to 36 percent. By the turn of the century, nearly 50 percent of American children may be going to sleep each evening without being able to say good night to their dads.”
Sadly 85% of single parent households are fatherless families according to Fatherhood.org
I share these statistics, not to bring focus on the growing social problem faced in Australia but to remind us to celebrate and appreciate the fathers who chose to stay. The fathers who chose to stay, the fathers who fought the good fight to keep their children in their life, to love them, to protect them and to raise them not in his shadow but in his light. God bless and may long live all fathers who are still around for their kids.
Since it is 'Fathers Day' today, it is entirely appropriate for me to mention the one person that has helped me become the mother, the artist, the women that I am today. There is nothing that would work to fix the big gaping hole that would be left behind if my hubby was not on board with parenting our four children, my career as an artist, the Hoo Gallery or this blog.
To my own children father, I honour him today.
HE PLAYS WITH US.
HE KISSES AND CUDDLES US.
HE LET'S US FLY.
HE FEEDS AND PUTS US TO BED.
HE WRESTLES US.
HE TAKES US ON ADVENTURES.
HE ANNOYS US, AND HE MAKES US LAUGH!
HE MAKES SURE THAT WE ARE FED.
HE READS BEDTIME STORIES TO US.
HE TAKES PICTURES OF US.
HE TEACHES US.
HE TELLS US TO REACH FOR THE STARS.
HE COOKS FOR US.
HE CARRIES US.
HE IS HAPPY TO BE WITH US.
HE CUDDLES US.
HE PROTECTS US.
HE LOVES US.
WE ARE NOT US, WITHOUT HIM!
