Sylvester Turner: “as we approach this Father's Day, many of us are fortunate to reflect upon the positive influence of our own fathers and…”

“as we approach this Father's Day, many of us are fortunate to reflect upon the positive influence of our own fathers and to feel the sense of joy that comes from being a father. We understand that the experience of having a father is critical to shaping our lives, and we know that there are numerous studies that have been done that point out that loving, committed fathers help children get a better start in life. According to the Journal of Family Issues, interaction between children and their fathers improves the child's early mental development and physical well-being. We know that children who grow up with committed fathers are less likely to get involved with gangs and drugs and turn out to be better parents themselves. That is why the Book of Proverbs tells us to train the child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. A group of Members in this House have joined together to form the Fatherhood Promotion Task Force for the purpose of examining Government policies to ensure that those policies promote, encourage, and support families. Every child deserves the love and care of a responsible adult, and the promotion of fatherhood is critical to our future.”