Looking for a Few Good Men!

When I launched The Upbeat Dad in the first week of October of this year, I said that the blog is for fathers of all kinds - married, divorced, single, adoptive, etc. And the response to it has been tremendous!

I laid out my vision for the blog in several of those initial blogs including The Story Behind the Upbeat Dad and The Journey Begins. Quite interestingly, as time goes by, I'm beginning to realize that this is much bigger than I ever anticipated.  We're getting readers from all over the world - those who believe that positive fathers and father figures are very much in need.

This weekend, I looked at the first month statistics - who is reading the blog and certain insights on these readers. I've also tracked the activity on our Facebook page. Here are a few highlights from those stats:

• Over 1,400 readers of the blog so far - including people in USA, Canada, UK, Jamaica, Haiti, Russia, Brazil, Germany  and Taiwan and more!
• Our most viewed post to date is: The Story Behind The Upbeat Dad
• We have readers from all age groups but the highest percentage falls in the 35-44 age range
• Consistently, our readers are 60% female and 40% male.

The last stat is amazing to me - 60% female and 40% male. Wow! Recall, as I said above, the blog was launched for dads. Yet, 60% of our readers are female. This speaks volumes to me! You know what it says? The need for "a few good men" is recognized by males, females, young and old alike.

Therefore, as I write, I think of the larger audience of individuals - not just men. These persons recognize that fatherhood isn't a one-time exercise when a child is conceived. It's a lifetime responsibility - one that's filled with rewards.

I have since changed the wording in the description of the blog to say, "The Upbeat Dad is for all who believe in the positive influence fathers can have in kids' lives!"

There are so many studies that show that children who are raised by two parents are at an advantage over those who are not. According to the National Initiative on Fatherhood, children who grow up without their father in the home are more likely to drop out of school and are more likely to end up in poverty. One of every 2 females in prison did not grow up with a father in the home. There are so many more statistics that reiterate this point.

I want to commend the single moms for all they do to raise our children. But they were never meant to do it alone. Sometimes as men, we neglect to fulfill our obligation to our children and their mothers. And our lack of involvement leaves these mothers to fight an uphill battle. 

I also recognize that there are men who get frustrated with the family law system and just throw up their hands and walk away. The sad part is that in walking away, it's not the court system that suffers - it's the kids.

I can attest to this from my own experience when I went through a divorce in the early 2000s. But I recall thinking of my innocent 3 year old daughter. She didn't deserve to be neglected. She didn't ask to come into the world. Neither did she ask for her parents to be divorced. But divorce was the reality. She didn’t need for either parent to walk away from her. That was never an option - she's just too precious.

To our children, I say, "Take heart. We know you need your dads and we'll do everything to make that happen." To moms, I say, "We continue to look for a few good men. And I hope that this blog will be an agent of change in that regard." And finally, to dads I say, "Man up! It's our kids' lives that are at stake. Let's be responsible and give them all the love, affection and support that they're due."

If you enjoy reading the blog, do share it with your friends and colleagues. And consider those in particular who could use the encouragement. I believe that the potential impact of this information is too great to keep to oneself. Thanks for helping us create more upbeat dads!

So yes, we are looking for a few good men. I guess you could say we’re on a search and rescue mission! Won’t you join us in this endeavor!

Have a great day!

The Upbeat Dad