Dads — reintroduce values in the home

The best gift fathers can give to their children is to love their mothers, and return to those values that make a household a home Prime Minister Patrick Manning said in his Father’s Day Address. He also gave credit to the role some women play as “father figures” and reminded fathers of their obligation to strengthen intimate ties with their children and household. Manning acknowledged that since family values were constantly being challenged, there was a need for fathers to reintroduce into the home strong positive values which provide a stable and secure environment for the nurturing of our children and the development of our future generations.

“Very often we neglect to recognise that the real progress of our society is deeply embedded in not just economic development, but in the spiritual, emotional and social well being of our citizens,” Manning said. He stressed the need for parents to do their part as their role is even more crucial in keeping the nation’s children well-balanced and focused on the achievement of positive goals and self-fulfilment.

Not to be left out, he said, were the universal and eternal virtues of truth, humility and good example within families, found in the “good books” of the religious faiths, that were needed to be implemented. “Let nothing mislead us into believing that praying together, Sunday lunches, family gatherings, discussions, reunions and the like are no longer important or necessary,” Manning added. “We must return to those values that would make our household a home, with fathers acting with the greatest level of responsibility and commitment.”