In 2013, there were more than 70 million fathers across the country, according to estimates published by the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse. Among these fathers, two million were single fathers and over 24 million were married and had a child who was under the age of 18. In Lee County, and across the rest of Florida, understanding fatherhood statistics could help those who are dealing with legal issues related to fathers’ rights, such as child custody, visitation, etc.
Over the course of 2013, it is believed that there were roughly 434,000 children who were taken care of by about 214,000 stay-at-home fathers. Among fathers who were married with children less than 18 years of age, 21 percent had at least three children under 18 living in their household with them. Research has shown that the involvement of fathers in a child’s life can provide a number of benefits, making children more likely to live healthier and have greater success in the classroom.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fathers between the ages of 15 and 44 who live in their child’s home engage in activities with their child more frequently than fathers who live elsewhere. Furthermore, fathers who live outside of their child’s home were less likely to have engaged in activities with their children in the previous four weeks. The CDC also reports that fathers in this age group who live in their child’s home were far more likely to have a positive image of themselves as fathers when compared to those who live outside of the home.
