News reports that 40% of newborns in 2007 were born to parents that were not married are shocking. Even more alarming is the report that 72% of black women and 51% of Hispanic women gave birth out of wedlock that same year. The statistics imply that nearly half of our children might be growing up in a home without a father. Clearly, growing up in a single parent home puts a family at great risk of living near or below the poverty level.
The National Partnership for Community Leadership (NPLC) through its Fatherhood Development Curriculum is mounting an effective campaign to educate and empower men into becoming the fathers that, not only their children, but society need them to be. The curriculum, made up of 25 sessions, emphasizes the whole man rather than just the component necessary to parent a child. There are five modules within the curriculum.
I: The Personal Development Module works on the basic foundation of the man understanding that a man can not take care of a family if he can not take care of himself. Personal development and knowledge are key components in effective parenting.
II: The Life Skills Module works on the often overlooked issues surrounding decision making, stress maintenance and communication. These are life skills that many young fathers lack, especially if they come from fatherless homes themselves.
III: The Responsible Fatherhood Module works through the important role a father plays in the life of a child. Valuing a man for the contribution that only he can make as a father is essential for building the desire to parent in the long term. This series of sessions also helps fathers weave their way through the child support system.
IV: The Relationship Skills Module works on effective communication, not only with the child, but with the child’s mother. Communications between men and women can be tenuous at best, but an understanding of the differences in language between men and women can be highly beneficial in building positive relationships and dealing with conflict.
V: The Health and Sexuality Module teaches the necessity of good health. It not only works through the components of good physical health, but also mental, emotional and sexual. Substance abuse and risky sexual behaviors are often prevalent issues, especially with young fathers, so these areas are addressed in a clear, street smart fashion.
In partnership with support services for education, employment, housing, mental and/or substance abuse counseling, the Fatherhood Development Curriculum is highly effective in building young men into successful fathers. A good father lives on in perpetuity in the lives of his children.
Sources:
MSNBC.com. "Unwed Birth Rate Reaches All-Time High in US" (accessed February 21, 2011).
Atdn.org. "2009 to 2010 Federal Poverty Guidelines" (accessed February 21, 2011).
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