Absent Fathers

Absent fathers became a normal thing in our lives. Some fathers are absent due to work, others don’t live near the children, and some of them are in prison.

This story will be about absent fathers who are in prison. There are so many single moms out there who are struggling because the father of their child is in prison.

Many of those fathers don’t care about their kids and the mothers of their kids. Luckily, there are people who are trying to make a change. Some people want to do better and they want to fix their mistakes. The impact of a father’s absence is much more serious than people think.

Absent Fathers – Prison Edition

Naomi Schalit interviewed a few men from Maine State Prison who are fathers. They’re aware of their mistakes and they’re trying to do better by volunteering, working, and educating themselves in prison.

Mac Wolfe II – Maine

Mac is a father of two – a boy and a girl. The children have two different mothers, and Mac regrets his poor choices in the past.

He was an addict and he admits that drugs were more important to him than his kids. He couldn’t understand that he has responsibilities now, and he couldn’t step up.

By coming here, I got my thoughts gathered and get a game plan going. Who am I really, where do I want to be, do I really want to be that heroin addict?

Mac says that he was a deadbeat dad and he wants to do everything in his power to change that when he gets out.

He’s trying to accept responsibility for his actions. He is trying to better himself, and he is sick of being sorry for something. He is sick of his excuses. He wants to be a better man and a better father.

He’s aware that all the burden is on the mothers of his children and he feels bad that he can’t provide for them. He has a prison job, so he pays child support. He even finished high school in prison.

He wants to be a good father one day and he wants to make things right. Wolfe is grateful for a chance to change his life around. Christian-based program led by Chaplain Kevin Fortier is helping other men in Maine State Prison too.

Tyler John Crawford

Tyler also calls himself a “deadbeat dad”. He struggled with many mental and emotional things, and he didn’t know how to express himself. He was charged with theft of services.

Tyler was making good money even though he didn’t have a high school diploma. He worked in construction, had friends, and looked like the most confident guy.

But, he was troubled and depressed. When his partner got pregnant, he wasn’t there for her. He wasn’t a good partner or a good dad.

He was in prison when his son was born. He met him during a prison visit. He sees him regularly, and he wants to fix things.

Just like Mac, Tyler also changed his priorities and decided that he wants to be a real father. He also finished high school, and he’s working on becoming a better person.

Crawford also feels sorry for all the single moms who just have to live with the fact that the fathers of their kids are useless. They have to be a single parent and they have to do everything in their power to take care of the child’s health and well-being.

Most children are living with a single mother, not a single father. When the father is absent, the mother has to be both parents. Research shows that dads are more likely to abandon their kids.

It seems like always the woman’s the one who breaks her back to take care of the child. I’m supposed to provide for my family, where am I? She’s going to school and working two jobs.

He wants to change that for his son and he is ready to move on and make wiser decisions.

Absent Fathers Who Don’t Care

These two men are one of the few who want to change. They truly regret their actions and they want to be good parents when they get out. They want to change their lives and start over.

They deserve a chance, and they will probably be proud of themselves one day. They will be glad that they went to prison and found something that motivated them to change.

However, there are so many absent fathers who are in prisons, or who knows where and they don’t care about their children.

It’s impossible to track them down or get child support from them. They’re not interested in their children’s lives. They don’t want to help the mothers and they don’t want to co-parent.

They’re only thinking about themselves and their needs. This is heartbreaking, and children with absent fathers tend to have many problems. Children don’t need a traditional family structure to be happy and healthy.

They’re often hurt, traumatized, and introverted. They have trouble in schools, social bonding, and opening up to people.

Of course, this can be avoided or solved, but, sadly, this happens in the first place. It’s sad that these fathers don’t want to be a part of their children’s lives.

The biggest mystery is the fact that this is not just about not wanting to spend money on kids. It’s not normal to not have an emotional need to take care of the child.

It’s not okay to not care for your children’s needs. This makes me wonder why these people don’t have to face some serious consequences of their actions.

I understand that unwanted pregnancies exist. I understand that people don’t want to be together and raise a child. But, I can’t understand how people easily leave their kids behind.

How is it possible for a biological father to not care about his kids? Why these men don’t care if the woman is a single parent? Families and romantic relationships have to be separated in certain situations.

That’s why I’m glad to share this positive story with you. I’m glad that there are absent fathers who want to fix their mistakes.

I’m glad that some people understand the effects of a father’s absence. An absent father can cause many mental health problems, behavioral problems, and child development difficulties.

In Conclusion

Absent fathers can change if they want to. Tyler and Mac are the perfect example of that. They’re in prison, and yet they want to do better.

They want to do something that will improve their parenting skills and the lives of their children. Many kids experience consequences because their fathers weren’t there for them. It’s very sad and heartbreaking, but it happens all the time.

Source – The Maine Monitor