Celebrating Father's Day: What makes dad irreplaceable

Father’s Day is right around the corner, and if you ask your friends what makes their dad irreplaceable, you’ll receive a plethora of responses.

Anyone can father a child, but being a dad requires a lifetime of involvement, nurturing and encouraging each step of their child’s growth.

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While both moms and dads contribute to the child’s notion of wellbeing, research suggests fathers provide a sense of security to their child not easily replaced by other family members. Children who mature with engaged, affectionate fathers exhibit greater confidence and compassion.

According to the American Pediatric Association, children with involved dads perform better academically and socially than those with less involved fathers.

Children who grow up with a dad who listens to them are more adaptable and more capable of managing their emotions, including self-soothing during times of stress.

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In a world where the challenges of raising children continue to climb, appreciate the following four assets engaged dads provide to their children, constituting their irreplaceable influence.

1. Dads set the bar of comparison for other relationships. The way a father treats his child powerfully influences the characteristics that child seeks in other relationships. This awareness begins at birth as the child observes how dad treats their mother. As the child matures, they choose other intimate friendships based on their perception of their relationship with their father. A child holds their dad in high esteem. In fact, research suggests that a deep scar is created when a father separates from the family, leaving the child feeling less trustworthy of relationships. No one can replace dad as an influential role model.
2. Dads influence their daughter’s perspective of men. From birth, a daughter depends on dad for security and emotional support. As the first model of the way a man shows love, his relationship with her is a powerful influence over her perception of men in the future. When a father is loving and gentle, he teaches her that these characteristics are as commonplace in men as stamina and character strength. He is irreplaceable because she hangs on to his every word and scrutinizes his every movement.
3. Dads carve their son’s character. From an early age, sons model themselves after their father’s character and seek his approval. A son learns how to be a man based on observations of his father’s words and actions. A disengaged father’s lasting impression leads to feelings of inadequacy and lostness, often compelling a son to seek other male models. No one can replace the character-building function a caring and respectful dad provides to a son.
4. Dads instill self-sufficiency in their children. In many families, dads emphasize independence and exploration of the outside world while moms focus more on nurturing. Both roles are critical for the health and well-being of the child. Kids who grow up with an involved dad exhibit greater confidence in exploration, increased capacity for managing their emotions, and greater likelihood to participate in pro-social activities. Additionally, pediatricians purport that children who harbor good relationships with their fathers are less likely to behave disruptively or turn to violence. A dad is an irreplaceable symbol of solidarity, independence, and confidence.

Father’s Day is the perfect day to celebrate dad and remind him of why he is irreplaceable in your and your children’s lives.