The number one deficiency in our society today is Fatherhood. That’s right. Quite simply, there are too many children and not enough fathers. You many ask "How can this be?" We all know where children come from. Every child has a father, right?

Wrong. Every child has a male biological contributor, but unfortunately, a decreasing number of children have Fathers.

So, what does it take to be a Father rather than simply a male biological contributor? While this is likely not an exhaustive list, I have included characteristics that I believe bring men into Fatherhood.

Fathers are men, not boys.

I am not speaking of age here. I know many mature boys and immature men. I could write an entire book on what it means to be a man, and some authors have done so. Stu Webber’s Tender Warrior comes to mind as a good one. Suffice it to say, men/fathers do manly things and boys do boyish things. This may ruffle feathers, but playing video games, refusing to take responsibility for his actions, going to clubs to get drunk or physically abusing any woman or child are just a few activities that boys do. These are not activities that men do. Quite simply, to be a father, the most important thing you must do is grow up.

Fathers are present.

Having a father present in the lives of our children is important to the family and to society as a whole. According to the Census department and other U.S. government agency studies, there are far too many homes/children with no father present. According to these studies, 43% of children live without their male biological contributor present. This poses a number of problems which include: 90% of homeless and runaway children are fatherless; 71% of pregnant teenagers are fatherless; 85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders are from fatherless homes. And the list goes on and on.

Fathers are not only present, but they are daily involved in the lives of their children.

You may have heard "It’s about Quality time rather than Quantity time." Well, that’s a myth. Children need a father who is present daily in their lives. Don’t get me wrong. I understand that we lead busy lives. But being there counts, big time. I’ve heard, "Kids spell LOVE=T.I.M.E." Here are some ideas to make quantity and quality time with your kids:

Do bedtime. Do not ever just send your kids to bed. Read, sing a song, pray, cuddle. This is a great way to end even a bad day.

Schedule a "date" with each of your children. I like the idea of a once a month breakfast date with each child, but there are other ways to have a date time with your children.

Play card games (Go Fish) or other board games with your kids.

Tell your children fun stories about family members they have never met (i.e. deceased grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc.)

Fathers love their children’s mother and treat her well.

Maybe someday I will write about how to overcome all of the excuses that men make to get out of this one:

We are divorced and she _____.

We had a one night stand and there never was a relationship.

She hurt my feelings when she_____.

None of these scenarios free men from the responsibility to show love and respect toward the mother of their children and treat her well. No matter what, children need to see you show respect to their mother, even if you have major disagreements with her and/or have to set serious boundaries with her. Trust me, it is possible. Your kids need it for their future.

These are just a few ideas of what fatherhood means and how to be a Father rather than just a male biological contributor. For the sake of our children and our future, we need more men to commit to being fully present and involved Fathers.

Written by Chris Giles, M.S.