Recognize your responsibility ... as a father AND mother

[starbound04]

Obama made a speech on Father's Day emphasizing the need for fathers to take an active role in their children's lives. I applaud him for his speech. Many people need to hear that message ... many "people" ... I say people because it's not just fathers who need to recognize this - Mothers need to be just as active in that role and ALLOWING fathers

Comments

[aggktty]

As a high school teacher, I like to remind my girls that it is their bodies that have to be pregnant and give birth. It becomes their responsibility to provide daily care to an infant, toddler, child, teenager. Often, men flake out on their responsibilities and then it is the woman alone who must take care of herself AND a child.

I then remind boys that the courts work to protect women and children only. Once they release their sperm, they have made the last decision they are allowed to make. Men have no reproductive rights in the state of Texas beyond deciding whether or not to have sex. They will be required to pay child support and will have very little leverage in parenting. It is the mother who decides what is required of the father and what role he gets to play.

Most of my kids have never thought about sex like that. (And a lot of them end up pregnant, too)

[starbound04]

Yeah they don't think of it like that. Even grown men don't think like that. :) I never have (and don't think ever will) let him off the hook for the fact that he made the decision to be with this crazy woman. "You made the choice and now you live with the consequences!" But like I said, it's also frustrating to try so hard to do the right thing and be stonewalled.