Not too long ago, Father’s Day was a day when the traditional heads of households – nationwide – were celebrated for the thankless job they did daily. Fathers provided the delicate balance between the world’s harshness and a mother’s love that kids would eventually need to survive in real life. Nowadays people are quick to discount the need for one, but do not be fooled; there’s nothing like having a dad.
From bringing home the bacon and killing spiders to opening jars and moving furniture, Dads were once the closest thing to super heroes or cops that a kid could ask for. For both boys and girls, he served as a beacon of safety as well as the stern voice of reason where one could and would find truth, even if they weren’t looking for it. Dads were as socially important as moms were, believe it or not.
My, oh my, have times have changed.
These days, the father is looked down upon as a collective unit of failure, dismissed as ship-jumping invisible men who ultimately aren’t even needed. Dads currently have such a bad reputation that the good ones get overshadowed and lumped in with the rest. The media doesn’t make it any better, with its constant praise of moms and very rare mentions of dads. Sadly, there is statistical proof that the absence of the father plays a large part in the young lives that the void effects. Some people say the lack of responsible fathers is the cause for the current state of minority communities all across America, if not the entire globe. All in all, however, being a father isn’t the easiest thing, but it must be done.
Fathers and fathers-to-be, remember that Father’s Day is not only a day of recognition (for those that deserve the glory), but also a reminder that our work isn’t done until we stop breathing. And in case any of you dads doubt your social importance, or have let negative feelings (baby momma drama) take precedence over positive facts (your kids need you), take a moment and think about these five things that are raising your kids (because you aren’t).
Grandparents
We’ve crossed a new threshold in the ongoing war against broken families. Grandparents are not only getting younger, but are replacing birth parents altogether. Grandparents, for the most part, are too old and far-removed from popular culture and it’s belief system to even keep up with what kids are out here doing. Need proof? Watch a 10-year-old help their grandparent with Facebook and notice the totally different languages they speak. Grandparents are built for babysitting and unconditional love, not child raising 2.0.
Their Friends
Your kids’ friends are dumb! This doesn’t mean that they aren’t intelligent, it’s just that all children are young and inexperienced. That’s what makes them children. Even the smartest babe alive is truly unaware of the pitfalls and perils that surround them and what they need to do to survive. If a kid doesn’t have a wiser, older, authoritarian guide to help him navigate this cold world, he’ll be forced to follow the leads of other novices and rookies. That can and will spell disaster, and all you need to do is watch TV to see the various tragic outcomes.
The Internet
In my humbled opinion, the Internet is the best worst thing that has ever happened to the earth. It’s a self-regulating organism that has grown more sinister ever year since it’s creation. This wouldn’t be so bad if it were only accessible by adults, but clearly this is not the case. Your kids have the ‘net in their pockets, backpacks, purses, & under their pillows when you walk in the room. No matter what we – the adults – do or say, the online world is influencing what your kids are thinking about. I’d even go so far as to call it “brain washing,” and it’s happening with unbelievable velocity.
Rap Music
I’ve been a part of the Hip-Hop community since the late ’70s. I really started to participate in the early ’80s. Since that time, I’ve seen purposeful rap music get pimped and pandered, beaten and broken, slumped over on its ear and left for dead. In 2013, the average rap song is almost nothing more than a mobile advertisement for sex, drugs, violence, and more sex. Even the “radio friendly” versions of songs are chock full of explicit material and adult themes. Too much of popular rap music is focused on sex and violence, two things that are sensitive, yet ignored issues in urban American neighborhoods. The sagging pants, the tattoos, the “I don’t give a f**k” attitude can all be loosely linked to young kids emulating their favorite rapper. Rappers that often emulate their favorite criminal. Take off the blinders and see where this is headed.
Themselves
There are way too many young men roaming the streets at all hours of the day. And it’s far too many young ladies pushing real live babies in strollers down the pothole-riddled backstreets of urban America. Kids are out here making their own decisions because they have nothing to fear and no one to correct their questionable actions. There’s an old saying that states that the world will discipline your child if you don’t. Not only have we reached that threshold, but no one seems to even care. Parents aren’t around and grandparents are clueless, so if the children are indeed the future – at this rate – then it appears that we are approaching a very rough patch in history.
**Fathers Day began in 1910, and a little over a century later, it’s headed into obscurity. For what it’s worth, though, Happy Father’s Day to all you dads, step-dads, uncles, grandfathers, and guardians who go against the proverbial grain.**
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