Preloading

What It Really Means to Have Integrity as a Father

Season 4 Episode 409
Aired on 11/05/2016 | CC tv-14
Many men in the House of Healing are fathers—and many of them do not have relationships with one (or all) of their children. The reasons why may vary, but according to House of Healing visitor Dr. Steve Perry, a big part of reversing this cultural phenomenon is for involved fathers to hold their absent counterparts accountable.

"One of the things that we can do for men is hold men accountable, especially those of us who are up in the middle of the night with the child with the 104 fever, scared as hell, don't know what to do," Dr. Perry says.

Men who are present in their children's lives, he continues, carry a certain expectation upon meeting other dads. "When we hear somebody say that they're a father, we're thinking, 'Oh, you up last night too? What size shoe does your daughter wear? What's her favorite color?'" Dr. Perry says. "We expect that you know that."

Dr. Perry explains that being there for your children is about integrity. "It's your obligation to engage in your integrity," he says. "To say, 'You know what? I can't leave them to somebody else to raise.'"

Another insight about parenting:
How singer Kevin McCall's mother played a role in his anger issues

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