How father figures impact a child’s life
Nicole Ardila
Dads may seem like they have it all together, but some say fatherhood isn’t talked about enough like motherhood is.
ABC-7 spoke with the El Paso Center for Children about their Fatherhood Program — a resource that benefits El Paso dads.
Program manager Jose Alamillo says that fathers pass down knowledge from one generation to another, and teach skills that he says are culturally part of a father’s role like fixing a tire or how a man should treat a woman.
Research from the National Fatherhood Initiative says that children without a positive father figure have greater risks of:
Behavioral problems
Teen pregnancy
Substance abuse
Obesity
Dropping out of school
“We just want to create a community of fathers that’s truly engaged with their kids and are the best version of themselves,” says Alamillo. “Not perfect fathers, but good enough fathers.”
Robert Femath is a father of two young girls and he says becoming a dad was the scariest and most wonderful feeling.
He says fathers struggle as much as mothers do when it comes to parenting and juggling life, like learning patience.
“You’re a dad, it doesn’t stop. So, you know, for me, a perfect father or a figure would be just someone that’s always there for your little ones,” Femath says. “And one of the things is just having that good relationship where you could have that communication with your little one, even if it’s a positive or a negative thing where they could talk to you about anything.”
The Fatherhood Program offers support groups, financial assistance and classes, and a parenting curriculum, all for free for dads expecting their first child, up until their child turns 18 years old.
For more information on their program, check out their website, here.