We all know the difference that a responsible, committed father like those five gentlemen can make in the life of a child. Fathers are our first teachers and coaches. They\u2019re our mentors and they’re our role models. They set an example of success and they push us to succeed; encourage us when we\u2019re struggling; and they love us even when we disappoint them, and they stand by us when nobody else will.<\/p>\n
And when fathers are absent — when they abandon their responsibilities to their children — we know the damage that that does to our families. Some of you know the statistics: Children who grow up without fathers are more likely to drop out of school and wind up in prison. They\u2019re more likely to have substance abuse problems, run away from home, and become teenage parents themselves.<\/p>\n
And I say this as someone who grew up without a father in my own life. I had a heroic mom and wonderful grandparents who helped raise me and my sister, and it’s because of them that I’m able to stand here today. But despite all their extraordinary love and attention, that doesn\u2019t mean that I didn\u2019t feel my father’s absence. That’s something that leaves a hole in a child\u2019s heart that a government can’t fill.<\/p>\n