HOT TOPIC: HOUSTON AND STOUDEMIRE ADDRESS THE ‘FATHERLESS CRISIS’
Amare Stoudemire and Allan Houston(pictured above) are concerned about the state of fatherhood and they’re not afraid to say so. The celebs recently participated in a panel that addressed the growing number of fatherless homes in America.
Allan talked about his experience in the NBA and attributed his positive outlook on parenthood to his dad who was an active contributor to his success. “When I got to the NBA and I saw that a lot of the guys didn’t have the experience that I had, it was different for me. But what I went through with my father should be the standard. He set the example for me about how to be a great father. We can’t do that unless we have great connections to our kids,” said Houston to the Harlem group of dads.
Stoudemire also weighed in on the importance of a father being in the home saying, “We do have influence; we have a black president. But we need to stand together more. Celebrities and athletes generate billions of dollars, and we need to find a way to come together and rise to the occasion. We need to take advantage of our opportunities.”
Fathers can help their kids seize the moment by giving them a solid foundation to build upon. Houston said that the best way for dads to do this is to “take up skills and engage kids, and listen to kids. We have to continue this conversation about fatherhood.” Stoudemire agreed saying, “There needs to be a lion and lioness. Make sure you find the right queen — and stay with her.”
The Census Bureau reports that 25 million children live apart from their biological fathers. Such number is a large increase from twenty years ago.
What are your thoughts?
Photo: Picture showcases four generations of Houston men.
You might also like
15 Comments to “HOT TOPIC: HOUSTON AND STOUDEMIRE ADDRESS THE ‘FATHERLESS CRISIS’”
Leave a comment!
I totally agree. My dad only met me once, when i was two months old, and i feel his absence all the time. This is why i just dont date any one- i want my kids to grow up in a stable home one day- when i have them (I am 23 yrs old).
Also, none of my childhood friends had dad’s either- there is indeed a need for change in the African community (in university, i met some blacks girls/guys who have great fathers and thats when i realised that what i was socialised into as a kid is not the “norm”).
Beautiful sight to see.
Smh black.ppl need to get their act together. Im glad im mixed and my daddy is caucasian..nuff said.
You’re sad smfh. There are PLENTY of Caucasian men who walk out on their kids life. So please.
Please let’s not feed into this person’s comments. They obviously are looking for attention or live in a mental ward, according to their comments. Let them vent their issues out & eventually, they will go away.
I’m as caucasian as anyone can be and yet my father’s completely worthless, abusive, and an all-around awful person 99% of the time. He and my mother did everything ‘by the book’ like was expected of them (they dated several years, married, waited several years to have children, etc.), but he still went running and cheating and acting like a complete idiot once us three kids came along. Awful fathers come in all colors, ethnicities, and backgrounds, including white, blond-haired, and green-eyed like mine.
Absent sperm-donor fathers in general need to get their acts together, all across the racial board.
Why would you say your mother needs to get her act together?
There’s a lot of great fathers who happen to be black though. I know my dad was. You like to start stuff? Don’t you?
My father was very violent and verbally abusive to all of the women in his life. As a result I’m in therapy for post-trauma because although my parents are divorced my mother wanted us to know him and spend time living with him.
As women we need to “Dig Deep” into these men family history before having kids that’s were it needs to start with us!!!!. Because if these men come from a broken families with missing in action parents, drugs, raised in the foster care system, poor grandma raising there grown childrens kids or if they have some form of mental issues that were never addressed and the list goes on and on. This is your opportunity to RUN!!!!! and look for the men with quality upbringing with morals and family structure again as women we have to “DIG DEEP” into who we get ourselves involved with and this pettiness about singe mothers and no good generation of men would not exist.
Amen!
Preach Keverno!
Well said and I really like what Amare said. It is said out here. I thought Allan was holding a doll. That baby is gorgeous. Nice looking males in his family.
I mean sad not said.
well said