[Hyacinth Bucket]

Thanks for posting this. Hopefully, many good men out there would heed the call and make the effort to get involved in mentoring the "fatherless". As much as I hate to admit it, you MEN are the key to turning our society around.

Studies I've read and from my own life observations, I've seen that children of both sexes do look more to the males for guidance and modelling after.

One study that blew me away says that:
If Mom only attends church, child in adulthood has a 15% probability of attending church.
If Dad only attends church, probability increases to 55% for the child to follow in his footsteps later on in life.
Of course it makes sense that, if both parents attended, the probability is higher (72%).

I know the study does not exactly pertain to academic mentorship but I've seen the above validated over and over in different areas of life. Unfortunately, I've also read somewhere that about half of the children in the U.S. do not have a father in the home. This just spells disaster. The single mothers are doing their best, of course, but nothing takes the place of a father in the home, even one who is not so great.

So please, men, I urge you to think about mentoring a child within your sphere of influence.

[LibertarianInExile]

I had heard that children of single mothers were less 'well adjusted' than children of single fathers, but find no stats to bear that up are readily available. 55 vs. 15% is a significant difference. Whence came these numbers?

[fightinJAG]

I agree that men are key to the process of growing children into solid adults.

I always think of this observation: whenever we are on vacation, say at the beach, the number one expression we hear children use over and over again is: DADDY, LOOK!!

[freedumb2003]

As much as I hate to admit it, you MEN are the key to turning our society around.

Excuse me? I like the rest of your post but this is a little distressing (unless of course you meant it as a joke). Other than that, this would sound like a Feminazi saying "OK, I hate to admint it, but I need a man to change the tire on my car."

But your conclusion is 2/3 accurate. The BM problem is a problem that can only be solved by M, since F is considered to be weak and to be used. But F are needed to provide an overall environment that will not tolerate anything less than the best any guy can give. Remember, the rich athletes always say "Hi Mom." How many Black Male success stories are out there where the major influence was a grandma who wouldn't take any crap from the kid?

That milleu need to be established by the women in the world. That is the environment that will allow mentoring to succeed.