Father's Day reminds us that there's more than one type of dad

There are lots of different types of fathers, and being a father can mean a lot of different things. Here’s a look at the way dads today don’t necessarily look like they did on old sitcoms:

  • Single dads are becoming more common, and today more than 8 percent of families with kids have a single dad at the head of the household.
  • Not every father lives with their children, but even those who aren’t able to see their children everyday can still be good fathers. For those sharing custody, research shows that the most important factor is the quality of the time a father and child do get together. 
  • You don’t need to be a biological father to be a father figure: men like stepfathers, teachers, coaches, and more can all be mentors and important positive male role models for children.
  • Nowadays it’s not a given that mom stays home and raises the kid while dad goes to work: today 16 percent of all stay-at-home parents are dads. 
  • Some fathers are part of same-sex couples and those kids are lucky enough to have two dads.

Every dad is different, but no matter what type of dad you are, one thing is always true: you have one of the most important jobs in the entire world.