Sentiment and emotion have their special place on Father’s Day, but more of us should take at least part of that day’s celebration to reflect on the important role fathers play in the life of their children.

According to an online article titled “5 Things You Should Know about the Importance of Fathers” published by Child and Family Research Partnership, the more involved fathers are with their children, the more likely those children are to experience success as they grow into adults.

Involved fatherhood is linked to better outcomes on nearly every measure of child wellbeing, from cognitive development and educational achievement to self-esteem and pro-social behavior, researchers found. Children who grow up with involved fathers are 39 percent more likely to earn mostly A’s in school – and 45 percent less likely to repeat a grade. The child of an involved father is 60 percent less likely to be suspended or expelled from school.

Children with involved fathers are twice as likely to go to college and to find stable employment after high school. These children are 75 percent less likely to have a teen birth. They are also 80 percent less likely to spend time in jail.

Fathers have a profound effect on shaping the way children develop in perceptions of self and of relationships. “The Importance of a Father in a Child’s Life,” published by Pediatric Associates of Franklin, TN, discusses several key influences of fathers.

“Children look to their fathers to lay down the rules and enforce them. They also look to their fathers to provide a feeling of security, both physical and emotional. Children want to make their fathers proud, and an involved father promotes inner growth and strength,” the article says. “Affectionate and supportive fathers greatly impact a child’s cognitive and social development. Fathers who are close with their children instill a sense of well-being and self-confidence.”

Perhaps one of the most important roles of a father in the lives of his children comes in establishing expectations for relationships with others.

“The way a father treats his child will influence what he or she looks for in other people. Friends, lovers, and spouses will all be chosen based on how the child perceived the meaning of the relationship with his or her father. The patterns a father sets in the relationships with his children will dictate how his children relate with other people.”

For girls, fathers are the pillars for security and emotional support. A father demonstrates for his daughter what a good relationship with a man is like.

“If a father is loving and gentle, his daughter will look for those qualities in men when she’s old enough to begin dating. If a father is strong and valiant, she will relate closely to men of the same character. Girls model their relationships on their father’s character.”

Boys, on the other hand, model themselves after their father’s character.

“Boys will seek approval from their fathers from a very young age. As human beings, we grow up by imitating the behavior of those around us; that’s how we learn to function in the world. If a father is caring and treats people with respect, the young boy will grow up much the same. When a father is absent, young boys look to other male figures to set the ‘rules’ for how to behave and survive in the world.”

No woman faces a more challenging and important role than being a mother.

No man faces a more important task than being an involved, loving, and supportive father.

Too often today, our society plays down the importance of these crucial people in the development of children. This point is even truer for fathers. Children suffer when fathers and mothers fail to provide an environment to help them develop – and thrive.

Mike Parker is a columnist for Neuse News. You can reach him at mparker16@gmail.com.