Jim Ryun: “last Sunday was Father's Day. This is a day specifically set aside to reflect and honor fathers. Being a father is not…”

“last Sunday was Father's Day. This is a day specifically set aside to reflect and honor fathers. Being a father is not something that should be taken lightly. A study by child psychologist Michael Lamb demonstrates exactly how important the presence of a father is in the development of a child. It found that a strong bond between a father and a child has a positive effect upon the development of the child. It is a statistical fact that children with involved loving fathers are significantly more likely to do well in school, have healthy self-esteem, exhibit empathy and pro-social behavior. These children are also more likely to avoid high-risk behavior such as the use of drugs, truancy and criminal activity, than to children who have uninvolved fathers. Mr. Speaker, even though the time to celebrate Father's Day has come and gone, the importance of being a father never diminishes. I rise today to recognize the caring and loving fathers for all they do for their families and also encourage them to continue to fulfill their role in the family.”