NEWS BLOG (WSAU) “Mothers of today are doing a lousy job raising their kids compared to past generations. More mothers are working, and that's taking time away from their kids. Statistically more mothers are being cited for abuse and neglect than ever before. Kids nutrition is worse then ever, because moms are making unhealthy dietary choices for their kids. More women are being promiscuous than ever before, creating more single-parent families and giving their kids poor messages about relationship.”

If I were to write that for Mothers Day, someone would throw a brick through my office window.

On Mothers Day we write about family, apple pie, and self-sacrifice.

I know I'm not a perfect father. I don't think anyone is. I try to balance a demanding job with family life. Sometimes I'm not successful. But I live under the same roof with my wife and four children. Commentators would give me a 'Fathers Day seal of approval' despite whatever shortcomings I have.

What a huge double-standard for Fathers Day. Look everywhere on Fathers Day, and you can see dozens of messages that fathers need to do better. Even President Obama's Fathers Day proclamation made mention of single-parent families where the father is absent. Newspapers and the internet are filled with commentary about fathers that need to “man up” and be a dad to the kids they brought into the world.

I don't disagree with any of those messages. But it's curious that these are the messages that are put forth on a day to celebrate fatherhood. There are many fathers who simply hike up their pants and disappear after siring children. But there are also many women who push fathers out of their children's lives.

Of course, the traditional family is usually best for raising children. But there are many fathers who try desperately to stay involved in their kids lives despite divorce and separation. In many cases it's the way the mother wanted it. For every father who's absent from their kids' lives, we don't have to look very far to find Murphy Brown mothers, who are raising kids with a 'father-option' attitude. There are many fathers who want to make the best of difficult situations involving their children. Do we have space to celebrate them on Fathers Day?

Chris Conley
Operations Manager-Midwest Communications, Wausau
6.20.10