And everyone agrees that a single mom who provides a loving, stable home is invaluable to her children. But the fact is, she can never take the place of their father. Young men who grow up in homes without fathers are twice as likely to end up in jail as those who come from traditional two-parent families. Seventy percent of kids in state reform institutions grew up without their fathers. Girls who grew up without their fathers are three times more likely to become unwed, teenage moms.
Research shows that fathers fill a unique and complementary role to mothers.
While mothers tend to relate to their children with verbal and nurturing behaviors, fathers interact in more physical ways particularly with their sons. Wrestling on the floor with Dad helps boys learn to control their aggression. A 1990 study indicated that fathers who live with their sons give them a more realistic image of what it means to be a man. They soften the cultural image of the aggressive, hyper-masculine American man. For daughters, a warm and positive relationship with Dad provides a model for that with her future mate.