[Tax-chick]

The father should be there to take part in that special time

The father should be there to take part in every special time of his children's lives! (I have a good relationship with my father, too - it's his farm I'm going to, at our NEXT career move:-) - just not as much as I wish I could have.)

What really diminishes men's importance is to say that if they're home for a few weeks, and an occasional ballgame, they've "fathered." I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir here - children need as much of their fathers' time and effort as possible, not the minimum corporate American defines as "equal with women."

[Cathryn Crawford]

That's true. I agree with all you've said! What I'm trying to say is that if a mother is important during the first few weeks, so is the father, and they should be treated as such.