What Do Children Need In 2025 From Their Fathers?

Opening:

Our children grow up and live in a world that is experiencing great and rapid change. They live in a very advanced technological era where everything is computerized and starts to involve Artificial Intelligence. They cannot be separated from the internet. Social media has become an important part of their lives. Currently, more than half of US teens spend an average of 7 hours and 22 minutes of daily screen time. According to Gallup, teens spend an average of 4.8 hours on social media per day.

They live differently from their parents and face different challenges. Nevertheless, their needs from their parents are still the same. Children everywhere and throughout the ages need these four things from their parents. Therefore, as we celebrate Father’s Day today, I want to encourage you, the fathers, to fulfill the needs of your children.

1. Our Children Need Love

            Love is a basic need for every person. Love is even needed from the time a person is in the womb. People who experience a lack of love would most likely suffer from various negative impacts, such as being selfish, easily offended, and lacking empathy for others. Children need to know that God, their Creator, loves them. More than that, they also need love from their mothers and fathers. Psalm 103:13 interestingly relates a father’s love with God’s love: “As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.”

How do fathers demonstrate their love?

a. By expressing their love to them verbally. As Asians, we rarely, if ever, say: “I love you” to our children (not even to our spouses). However, we need to learn to express it to our children, especially if their 'love language' is words of affirmation.

b. By providing for the family’s needs. Paul states in 1 Timothy 5:8 – "If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." A loving father is a responsible father. A father who loves his children will be willing to work hard to meet the needs of his family.

c. By spending time with them. According to the Pew Research Center, American mothers spend about twice as much time with their children as fathers do. In 2011, the average childcare time was 7.3 hours per week for fathers and 13.5 hours per week for mothers. As fathers, we sometimes are too busy with our jobs, ministry, and hobbies. We forget to spend time with our children. A good father not only provides for his family's financial needs but also love and care. Some fathers make mistakes by thinking that their children only need money. A good father also spends time with his children.

The National Library of Medicine states, “Parental accompaniment is an important determinant of children's well-being. Family education, guidance services, and mental health services should be strengthened, and it is necessary to improve the time spent with children and to pay attention to individual differences in children.”

2. Our Children Need Teachings and Instruction

            Deuteronomy 4:9-10 tells, “Only be careful and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them. Remember the day you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, when he said to me, “Assemble the people before me to hear my words so that they may learn to revere me as long as they live in the land and may teach them to their children.”

            Fathers must teach their children to know God and His principles. Otherwise, Hollywood, social media, their friends, and their secular teachers will teach and influence them. If we want our children to grow well and be successful in their lives, we must spend time with them to teach them about God, salvation in Jesus Christ, virtues, morals, ethics, skills, manners, relationships, and communication. We must shape their characters!

Remember what God told to fathers in Deuteronomy 6:4-7 - "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."

On the other hand, children also must listen to their fathers. Proverbs 3:1-2 “My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity.” Proverbs 4:1 "Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding."