Rob Kenney, creator of the “Dad, how do I?” YouTube channel, grew up without a father. Without a dad, Rob struggled to complete everyday tasks because he had no one to teach him. In response to this, he made it his mission to become a virtual father to millions of kids across the globe, teaching them how to shave, jump a car, and live with integrity. Rob is an excellent example of why we need to help fathers step up to the plate. Florida’s recent “Responsible Fatherhood” bill will help fathers play a more positive role in their families in the years to come.
The Responsible Fatherhood bill aims at providing educational training and mentorship programs for fathers to strengthen their involvement in the home. The bill was signed into law on April 11th, after receiving unanimous support in both the Florida House and Senate. Proponents of the bill reasoned that fathers should be supported because of the impact they can have on children. In a tweet after signing the bill into law, Governor Ron DeSantis cited that kids without fathers are two times more likely to drop out of school, and three times more likely to end up in prison (for males). These facts are reason enough to promote responsible fatherhood, but let’s look deeper.
The importance a mother in a child’s life is undeniable, but mothers and fathers both have different and crucial roles to play. While a mother may console and nurture a child, a father encourages them to reach higher and try more. Fathers prepare children for the real world by lovingly reminding children about the consequences of their actions. Perhaps more importantly, good fathers act as role models in their children’s lives, showing them how to respect others. Both mothers and fathers are instrumental in a child’s life, a fact made incredibly clear in God’s Word.
In Ephesians, Paul says “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). Although we live in a fallen and sin-ridden world, fathers still have the ability (and duty) to train up their children. The entire book of Proverbs is a compilation of fatherly wisdom to his sons. Proverbs 4 begins with the words “Hear, O sons, a father's instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain[a] insight.” Here’s the point: the Bible shows that fathers naturally play a crucial role in their children’s lives.
Sadly, the truths of the Bible are rejected by many, and in some cases, we see an attempt to make fathers disappear. In his official budget, President Biden blurred the lines between men and women by calling mothers “birthing people.” If mothers are reduced “birthing people,” where does that leave fathers? We must show dads that they are crucial to the family, and not just optional to the process of raising children.
I was (and am) blessed with a father who took it upon himself to train me in how to live. Even today, I consider myself lucky to have the ability to ask my dad a question about life, my future, or how to fix the sink. For this I am thankful. Bills like the one in Florida are a small step to ensuring that, in our culture of permissive divorce and absent fathers, more children will have a supportive dad at home like I did.
We need good fathers to rise up and train their children in the way they should go (Proverbs 22:6). Florida has taken great steps to give dads the right training, but we should not stop there. It should be our mission as individuals and as a community to support fathers in every stage of life. Supporting fathers and mothers is the best way to ensure that the rising generation of children will be equipped to meet life’s challenges and responsibilities.
