I suspect there will be MMB'ers who will say that this is another of JCline's pointless posts, but I found this information interesting, perplexing, and depressing.

A book about fathers helping raise children, called 52 Things Kids Need from a Dad, makes some good points about children being raised with the absence of a father.

85% of young inmates in prisons grew up in homes without fathers.

Fatherless boys and girls are twice as likely to drop out of high school and four times more likely to need help for emotional or behavioral problems.

Seventy-five percent of all adolescent patients in chemical-abuse centers come from fatherless homes.

Three out of four teenage suicides occur in households where a parent has been absent.

I've been decrying this for years. My mother is a principal in the school system and it's my humble opinion that no amount of money, new or different curriculum, etc, will change the circumstances unless the parents care- preferably two parents.

Ironically, ESPN had a segment yesterday about Bowman (49er's linebacker) never meeting his biological father. Then the hosts spoke about their experiences, both the guys with and without fathers in the home. It was sad and touching.

http://www.fathers.com/content/index.ph ... Itemid=60/

For any of you that have not seen the Watch DOGS program, the link above will tell you about it. I started this program at my 2 sons elementary school this year.

I grew up in a single parent household, and while my incredible Mother and I struggled at times, there is one good thing that came out of it: My Dad wasn't there to brainwash me into rooting for UNC-CHeat so that I'd bring down my actual alma mater later in life.