| June 14th, 2024

The Fatherhood Crisis

80% of fathers are living with their minor children. But 1 in 4 children do not have a biological, adoptive or stepfather in their home. 35% of fathers who do not live with their children are not involved in their children’s lives and never see them.

Father Absence Impact

Children of uninvolved and absent fathers are impacted in several ways according to StrongFathers.com.

  • More likely to be abused or neglected.
  • Greater risk of poverty.
  • Greater risk of infant mortality
  • More likely to have behavioral problems.
  • More likely to suffer obesity.
  • More likely to abuse alcohol and drugs.
  • More likely to drop out of school.
  • More likely to go to commit a crime.
  • More likely to become pregnant as a teen.
  • More likely to go to prison.

Involved Father Impact

When children have an involved father, whether they live in the same home or not, outcomes for them are significant. They have a strong foundation for child well-being. Father involvement lowers the risk of infant mortality, low birth weight, emotional and behavioral problems, neglect and abuse, injury, obesity, poor school performance, teen pregnancy, juvenile incarceration, alcohol and substance abuse, criminal activity, and suicide.

What Gets In the Way?

If you are a father who has ever questioned whether or not you are a good father, you are. The fathers who never ask that question are the ones who are not. What is keeping you from being the father that you want to be? What blocks you?

  1. Mother Conflict – Too many fathers let conflict with their child’s mother get in the way of their involvement with their child. Your child needs you in their life even if you and their mother cannot get along. Don’t let your hard feelings about your child’s mother keep you from staying involved in their life!
  2. Father Pattern – How you were parented can become a block in your own parenting. Too many men grew up in homes without a father or with a father who was violent, abusive, passive, controlling, or over-indulgent. A father distracted by women, work, friends, playing, partying, etc. can set a horrible pattern that you may gravitate toward even though you’ve committed to “never be like my dad.” Don’t let your father pattern block you from giving your child what they need from their father.
  3. Unresolved Wounds – Everyone has at least one identity wound. I’m not good enough, I don’t matter, I’m unlovable, I’m broken, I don’t have what it takes, etc. If you haven’t wrestled with God around your wounds, you will shrink back from stepping up to be the father your child needs most. Your unresolved wounds unintentionally hurts you and the people you love most. Do the hard work on your self to heal your unresolved wounds so you can give your child what they need.

Community of Men Helping Men

It is hard to remove the blocks by yourself so that you can be the father you want to be. Crucible has been a community of men helping other men be all they are called to be since 2002. Over 6,500 men have taken a weekend away from life to do the deep dive on the things that are holding them back.

Many men doing their personal work with Crucible have found that they are now the fathers that they always wished they had when they were boys. You can, too.

Besides time and money, our Men’s Retreats will cost you being honest with yourself… and you might not like what you see.

After the retreat, a community of men are here to continue to support you – not as experts, but as men along on their journey as you are on yours. You will be invited into regular group connection so that you can be what God has called you to be in your fathering and as a man.

If you want to get started before your weekend, guides we call coaches are ready to help you lean into being a better father. Set up your first free session and discover how God is using Crucible to impact the fatherhood crisis.

 We Serve Moms, Too

Under Women leadership, a community of women are available to help the women in your life. Women’s retreats and coaching are available to get you started. And after the weekend, a community of women will be there for them.