Amare Stoudemire and Allan Houston(pictured above) are concerned about the state of fatherhood and they’re not afraid to say so. The celebs recently participated in a panel that addressed the growing number of fatherless homes in America.
Allan talked about his experience in the NBA and attributed his positive outlook on parenthood to his dad who was an active contributor to his success. “When I got to the NBA and I saw that a lot of the guys didn’t have the experience that I had, it was different for me. But what I went through with my father should be the standard. He set the example for me about how to be a great father. We can’t do that unless we have great connections to our kids,” said Houston to the Harlem group of dads.
Stoudemire also weighed in on the importance of a father being in the home saying, “We do have influence; we have a black president. But we need to stand together more. Celebrities and athletes generate billions of dollars, and we need to find a way to come together and rise to the occasion. We need to take advantage of our opportunities.”
Fathers can help their kids seize the moment by giving them a solid foundation to build upon. Houston said that the best way for dads to do this is to “take up skills and engage kids, and listen to kids. We have to continue this conversation about fatherhood.” Stoudemire agreed saying, “There needs to be a lion and lioness. Make sure you find the right queen — and stay with her.”
The Census Bureau reports that 25 million children live apart from their biological fathers. Such number is a large increase from twenty years ago.
What are your thoughts?
Photo: Picture showcases four generations of Houston men.
