We know that 200,000 teen girls give birth every year in the U.S., but what about the other half of the equation – the 200,000 fathers? Unfortunately, only about 33 percent of fathers under 18 stick around to help raise the child. When you consider that 70% of those teen moms don’t graduate – it’s not hard to imagine why.
Meet Ricky C., 19, who brings his 4-month-old son to school with him every day. He is on track to graduate later this year and grateful that Learn4Life has a dedicated classroom for parenting teens.
Ricky has a great role model for fatherhood in his stepfather. His biological dad was abusive when Ricky was young, but fortunately his stepfather entered the picture and welcomed his stepson with open arms. “He taught me everything about what it is to be a man. And he loves his grandson so much.”
Great fathers like Ricky are essential to a child’s social and emotional wellbeing. Research shows that children who feel a closeness to their father are:
- Twice as likely to enter college or find stable employment after high school
- 75% less likely to have a teen birth
- 80% less likely to spend time in jail
- Half as likely to experience multiple depression symptoms
To read more of the Learn4Life article, please click here.
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