For Lack of a Better Male

Last week was quite the shift in routine. We began bringing in groups instead of running the daily programs ourselves. This gave me the opportunity to talk to some of the kids a little bit more than I was the week prior. One of the things that I found out was that a very large majority, like all the kids I talked to except one, do not have a father figure in their home and also do not have the opportunity to see him outside of the home. I believe this father figure issue is whats contributing to a lot of behavior problems we experience at Urban, as well as some pre-cursor behaviors to unhealthy lifestyles. I am realizing that it is important that I role model character and integrity for the children, especially the boys, and address situations when there might be a lack of either. The kids will most likely not have them modeled on MTV. I wish I could say more about this subject but I am still getting a grasp on the effects that a father has on his children, good or bad, and how I can substitute some of the essential vitamins of guidance that the children here at Urban are lacking. God Bless.