INTERVIEW ON THE PRICE OF BUSINESS SHOW, MEDIA PARTNER OF THIS SITE.

Recently Kevin Price, Host of the nationally syndicated Price of Business Show, welcomed Lori Keesey to provide another commentary in a series.

The Lori Keesey Commentaries

Dads get short shrift. And that’s why I’m writing this commentary days after Father’s Day. In my opinion, great dads should be celebrated and applauded not just on one day, but on all days.

Why do I say this?

Because many children don’t always have the benefit of a present dad. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 18.4 million children, one in four, grow up without a biological, step, or adoptive father in their lives.

That’s enough children to fill New York City twice or Los Angeles four times over.

Research also shows that absentee fathers—more than poverty, race, and social class—contribute to a slew of negative outcomes in children.

These kids are more likely to exhibit behavioral and emotional problems, abuse drugs and alcohol or become involved in toxic or abusive relationships.

And that’s the short list.

The Inspiration for this Commentary

I decided to write about his topic because of a little story my physician’s assistant shared with me a few weeks ago. This dedicated mom of three young boys had been talking about healthy diets and how it’s not always possible to eat balanced meals.

“Do you know what my kids ate last night? she asked. “Pizza. And do you know what they’re having tonight? Pizza.”

She was frazzled.

Her husband had left a few days earlier for a weeklong business trip, and, of course, full-time kid responsibilities fell on her.

“But do you what he did before leaving?” she continued. “He pulled our oldest aside and said, ‘Little man, while I’m gone, you’re going to be the head of household. You must help your mom with your little brothers while I’m gone.”

Her son nodded, my PA told me, smiling ear-to-ear. The next morning, she overheard her son say, “Hey guys, it’s time for breakfast.” He’d complied with his father’s wishes and made sure his younger siblings were fed…a  job that her husband does every morning.

Just a snippet, I know. But from this vignette, my PA revealed a lot. Her husband models responsible manhood by thinking about his wife’s wellbeing. Before leaving for his trip, he passed the baton to his young son and made him responsible for serving the family in his absence.

A glorious example of why dads matter.

My Tribute to My Kids’ Dad

In the dad department—aside from his corny “dad jokes”—my husband did his job well too. And that’s another reason for this commentary. I want to pay tribute to him just days after Father’s Day.

For our three boys, he built a clubhouse and swing set from scrap lumber left over from one of his remodeling jobs and then rigged a 25-foot rope swing from the branch of one of our trees. Our backyard became the mecca for every boy in the neighborhood.

Unlike me, he didn’t get hot and bothered when the middle son squeezed half a tube of toothpaste on his baby brother’s head during bath time or when the same hellion got into the fridge and started cracking eggs all over the kitchen floor.

Nor did he balk at getting on the floor and roughhousing or reading stories at bedtime. He never missed a ballgame, and he didn’t try to fix problems when my kids got into trouble. They had to face the consequences of their poor decision making because how else would they learn?

I could go on and on, but I’ll leave it there.

Without their dad to temper my hovering—my distinctly feminine approach to parenting—who knows how our boys would’ve turned out. I shudder at the thought.

Cheers to Good Dads Everywhere

So, let’s celebrate fatherhood and give these beautiful and inspiring dads their due.

Because they matter.

Author/Blogger Lori Keesey discovered her passion for writing at age six, when she wrote and illustrated a very short story about three puppies lost in a hatbox. Her first-grade teacher loved it and encouraged her to continue writing.

Many years later, the study of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird rekindled her interest. So captivated by Harper’s young protagonist, Scout, Lori wanted to create characters just as engaging as this spunky little girl. Years passed—and hundreds, if not thousands, of novels were read—before Lori realized her goal. Her debut novel, The Difference He Made, is scheduled to release in late 2023.

Lori writes a weekly blog—“The Accidental Blogger”—that spotlights men and women who overcome adversity and  has authored two short stories, “Robert’s Prayer” and “The Note.” Both stories and a host of other gifts are free to those who subscribe to her monthly letter.

To subscribe and learn more about Lori, go to www.lorikeesey.com.

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LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW IN ITS ENTIRETY HERE: