AN OPEN LETTER TO YOUNG FATHERS

By now you should know that discipline plays an important part in the life of your children. Do you really? You have to begin to understand that the basic function of that discipline should be administered by you. However, it is that lack of discipline among your children that is creating very serious and lasting problems for everyone in our community. Real problems! You watch news reports daily about little Black children that have been involved in armed robberies, home invasions, burglaries, drug dealing, school violence, and murder. You probably know some active participants, but you just sit. And these young Black children are usually born to young parents, just like you. You are living a real-life horror story and don’t even know it, to which there seems to be no answers. When your baby’s mama tries to get help with her lack of parenting skills, she goes to a social service agency in the neighborhood. In fact, in most of the cases handled by these agencies, your baby’s mama will receive inadequate counseling; and the real victim (your child) is still lacking any real discipline or direction, and in most cases continues to lead that destructive life. Where are you at? You cannot expect social service agencies or any institution that doesn’t have your best interest at heart to fix your problems. The proper training of respect and discipline should start at a very early age by you. You played an active role in your child’s birth and should take a very active part in their moral training. I believe when a Black man shows love, and genuine concern, his children become sensitive, then are better able to discuss the concerns and feelings they may have and don’t understand. As children in the Black community continue to grow and develop, they undergo very confusing periods in their lives that are unique to the Black community. Extreme peer pressure and unfounded suspicions will be a road block to communication with your child. If your children are uncomfortable or reluctant to talk to you about their feelings, they may look for answers elsewhere. You do not want this. Knowing who your children are hanging out with is also one of the most important things in educating them about life. If you know where your children are going to bed at, and whom they are with, it won’t be too difficult to figure out what they are doing. In other words, get familiar with your child’s friends and associates. If their “partners” are the type that attract and stay in trouble, then you should cut the contact altogether. Their peers will probably laugh, and ridicule them, but they will survive. If you let your children live without a good sense of values, their direction is usually uncertain. You young Black fathers have to be the ones to effect change. You have to step up. The media has made a joke of you. You need to love and embrace your children. No one is going to do it for you. It all comes down to perception. What people perceive is what reality is to them. You have to change not only your child’s perception of right and wrong, but you need to change your perception of yourself too. People are waiting for you to mess up. You have let not only the media, but also the government and the world taint the pure essence of you. They have stripped you down to the point where you only believe you can sit at home and make babies. You can be so much more. Call me…317-531-8404, I’ll help.