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Welcome to the Wyoming Fathers Network. Our goal is to provide resources and support to men with children so that they become more effective, more active, and more involved in their role as fathers. All of us probably know the father who works too much. The father who knows more about his favorite sports team than he does about how his own child's doing in school. The father who watches his children grow up by their pictures on his desk. The father who knows the latest stock quotes but does not know his wife's favorite flower. The following are some statistics about children that come from a home with out an involved father: - 90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes - 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes (Source: US D.H.H.S., Bureau of the Census) - 85% of all children that exhibit behavioral disorders come from fatherless homes (Source: Center for Disease Control) - 80% of rapists motivated with displaced anger come from fatherless homes (Source: Criminal Justice & Behavior, Vol 14, p. 403-26, 1978.) - 71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes (Source: National Principals Association Report on the State of High Schools.) - 75% of all adolescent patients in chemical abuse centers come from fatherless homes (Source: Rainbows for all God's Children.) - 70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions come from fatherless homes (Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice, Special Report, Sept 1988) - 85% of all youths sitting in prisons grew up in a fatherless home (Source: Fulton Co. Georgia jail populations, Texas Dept. of Corrections 1992) These statistics translate to mean that children from fatherless homes are: 5 times more likely to commit suicide 32 times more likely to run away 20 times more likely to have behavioral disorders 14 times more likely to commit rape 9 times more likely to drop out of high school 10 times more likely to abuse chemical substances 9 times more likely to end up in a state-operated institution 20 times more likely to end up in prison. There are countless fathers and grandfathers out there who are positive role models and awesome dads. These are the men that we learn to be good dads from. You might be one of these fathers. Your dad may have been a father like this to you. Or, you may just want to be around some positive examples of truly good, effective fathers. We invite you to join us so that together, we can help make a difference in helping fathers be involved in raising their children. Harold B. Lee stated that "The most important work you and I will ever do will be within the walls of our own homes." |