Fatherhood Is More Than a Holiday

Dr. Jasmine Moses
2 days ago
2 min read

Every year around Father’s Day, we see the same messages about celebrating dads. And while celebration matters, this time of year can also push us to think bigger about what fathers, father figures, co-parents, and caregivers actually need to support children and families.

At BCDI-Ohio, we spend a lot of time talking about what children need to thrive. But children do not exist outside of families and communities. If we care about children, we also have to care about the people raising them.

Too often, fathers are left out of conversations around early childhood, education, maternal and infant health, and family support. We talk about families without actually making room for all caregivers in the conversation.

The reality is that fathers and father figures are deeply involved in the daily lives of children. They are showing up at school events, navigating child care challenges, balancing work and caregiving, supporting children through hard moments, and trying to build stable lives for their families in systems that are often difficult to navigate. And yet, many fathers still move through systems that were not designed to hear them, support them, or include them in meaningful ways.

We cannot continue building policies around children and families while leaving caregivers out of the room. This work is not about centering fathers over anyone else. It is about recognizing that children deserve communities where all caregivers are supported, listened to, and valued.

Three Ways We Can Better Center Fathers and Caregivers

Include fathers in conversations about children and families from the beginning

Most times, fathers and father figures are treated like an afterthought in conversations about early childhood, education, health, and family well-being. If we are serious about supporting children, we have to intentionally make space for all caregivers in policy conversations, community spaces, schools, and programs. Including Father’s from the beginning, prevents them from being an afterthought and allows for meaningful contributions and change.

Build systems that recognize caregiving as real work

Many fathers are balancing work, caregiving, transportation, appointments, child care challenges, and emotional support for their children and partners all at once. Families need policies and systems that actually reflect the realities of caregiving, including accessible child care, paid leave, mental health support, and community-based resources.

Listen to fathers and caregivers directly

We cannot build effective policies for families without hearing from the people navigating these systems every day. Fathers and caregivers deserve opportunities to share their experiences, challenges, and ideas for change, especially voices that are often overlooked in policy conversations.

That is why BCDI-Ohio is asking fathers, father figures, co-parents, and male caregivers across Ohio to complete our Fatherhood Survey.

We want to hear directly from caregivers about: