Show your appreciation this Father’s Day

By Staff
Rep. Ronald Grantland, Guest Columnist
Someone once said, “The love of a father is one of nature’s greatest masterpieces.” Fathers have always been important parts of their children’s lives. As the world becomes more complicated and less safe, it is even more critical for children to have a strong father figure in their lives.
The first Father’s Day was observed June 19, 1910 in Washington. The strongest promoter of the holiday was Mrs. Sonora Dodd of Spokane, Washington. She thought of the idea for Father’s Day while listening to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909.
Sonora wanted a special day to honor her father, who was widowed when his wife died in childbirth. Mr. Smart raised the newborn and his other five children by himself on a rural farm in eastern Washington. Mrs. Dodd approached her own minister and others in Spokane about having a church service dedicated to fathers on June 5, her father’s birthday. That date was too soon for her minister to prepare the service, so he spoke a few weeks later on June 19.
From then on, the state of Washington celebrated the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day. Fifty years later, the holiday became official. In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the third Sunday of June as Father’s Day.
Since then, Father’s Day has become a day of commemoration and celebration not only to honor your father, but also all men who act as a father figure—whether as stepfathers, uncles, grandfathers, or big brothers.
Sigmund Freud said, “I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father’s protection.” Almost everyone would agree that fathers play a vital role in the development of a child. On average, fatherless children are more likely to commit crimes and engage in substance abuse. They have lower test scores, are more likely to become sexually active at a young age, and are five times more likely to be mired in poverty as adults. The presence of a father is vital to the development and future growth of a child.
Unfortunately, many children grow up without a dad, but Alabama is cracking down on those who run from their paternal responsibilities. Whether it’s garnishing their wages, seizing assets, or revoking drivers licenses of those who do not pay child support, our state is strengthening the punishment for those who abandon their families and trying to put an end to “deadbeat dads.”
Father’s Day is a great opportunity to give some extra attention to a special dad, but it’s also a chance for fathers to renew their commitment to being a positive influence in the lives of their children. As the Bible says in Proverbs, “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” If you know of children lacking a father figure, try to be a positive influence for them; it can mean more than you could ever know. To all of us who have loving fathers, grandfathers, or other men who have significantly influenced our lives, we should take some time to really thank them for being there for us. Happy Father’s Day.