The Voice of Southwest Louisiana June 2018 Issue

SWLA health, wealth & wellness Inform, Educate, Empower
Daddy
By Emily Ashworth RN, BSN
I
experienced good and bad
moments that are etched in my
mind and heart while growing up.
I always knew I would be ok because of
the support of my family. For me, family
is defined as my mom, dad, sisters and
brother. I have learned marvelous
things from my family members and
share a special relationship with each
one of them. Children watch the
interaction between their parents and
the lack thereof. Both observations
have molded me and my siblings into
the parents that we are today.
Some of the earliest memories I have
of my father was watching him shine
his black military boots and prepare
his uniform for drill. He was a soldier
in the United States Army, now retired
Command Sergeant Major (CSM).
The sacrifice of him not being able to
actively participate in the rearing of
the children when deployed to war or
on duty can negatively and positively
affect the growth and development of a
child. Also, its effect on the relationship
between the soldier and spouse.
Growing up as the oldest daughter
of a solider had many challenges for
me. I gained several responsibilities at
an early age as I observed my mother
juggle duties between house and
school as she pursued her degree in
nursing. She cared for the four of us,
and made sure we remembered our
father, even though he was not home,
“he was still in charge.” As I remember
moments at times where he talked to
us and told us to always take care of
one another and stick together bring
tears to my eyes. Military duty took
my father away from home for days,
weeks, and months at a time. It was the
strength and resilience of my mother
that kept our family together and the
children strong.
It is essential to remember
that parenting is not the sole
responsibility of one person. I was
fortunate to have a mother and father
that loved one another and a mother
that showed respect to a man that
loved, respected and cared for her.
A study published in 2014, The
Causal Effects of Father Absence,
states that the absence of the
father affects the emotional,
social, and mental health of the
child into adulthood. It also
causes a decrease in high school
graduation rates. The National
Fatherhood Initiative’s outline
states that fatherless homes are
at risk for producing increased
rates of depression, conduct
disorder and suicide (which is
the 5th leading cause of death in
Calcasieu Parish).
Fathers, father figures, church
leaders; it is vital that you are
present in the lives of your children
and the young people in your lives
who are fatherless. Your presence
and involvement in the moments of
their day to day lives are crucial for
decreasing rates of depression, suicide,
and other mental health diagnoses, and
essential to increasing graduation rates
which will in turn have a direct effect
on poverty and improved health and
wellness on the children as they grow
into adults.
Thank you, Anita Steward, for
supporting and loving our father
James Steward, CSM! It is your love,
respect, and support for him that
allowed our dad to be the best father
who loved, provided, taught, and
trained us to be the adults that we are
today. Our children are blessed to have
him as their PAPA!!
Volume 5 • Number 11 WWW.THEVOICEOFSOUTHWESTLA.COM June 2018 7