Happy Father’s Day - Black Dads Matter! (Blog #39)

Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads today, and as Black Moms we give a special shout-out to Black Dads raising and supporting their Black children! As we know, parents can have a significant impact on their children and can affect their children’s values, empathy and contribute to confidence levels. Researchers have long examined factors in successful men and have found that their relationships with their fathers can be a key ingredient to achieving positive outcomes in these areas. Specifically, parental behaviors that have led to successful outcomes in Black men in particular include:

· A focus on parental engagement and academic achievement

· Setting limits and discipline

· Parental love, support, communication and guidance

· Fathers who were positive role models and supported the family both financially and

with their time, and

· Creating a sense of connectedness to the community and to community resources.

See Raising Black Males: Key Ingredients to Successful Outcomes in Black Male Development (counseling.org).

Providing this support for our black children, and for our Black sons, can be complicated in a world that may see our Black boys as threatening as they walk around the corner. Of course, Black Moms know very well about the importance of giving our Black children the talk about navigating a complicated world among people who may respond to them in a hostile manner just because of the color of their skin. Black Fathers are tasked with teaching their sons how to move forward, find their place and their happiness in this world. A Time Magazine article in 2018 shares insights of some Black Fathers and the guidance they provide to their own sons. These insights remain relevant and beneficial for all of us. You can check it out here: Black Fathers Share Lessons on Raising Sons in America Today | Time.

Happy Father’s Day!