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20.06.2016 Feature Article

Are The Fathers Irresponsible Or The Children Ungrateful?

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20.06.2016 LISTEN

It’s was 11:47 am, we were at the post-natal ward of the maternity unit.

A man, about 47 years of age, I am good at guessing people’s ages (don’t ask me how), sitting beside the bed with a neonate. I picked up the folder at the foot of the bed. It was a case of elective C/S on account of post-date and failed induction two days ago.

It was touching to see the man carrying the neonate while the mother sleeps the role fathers play in our families and society. That was when I asked the question. I asked my colleagues including a medical student from the United States who joined us for the ward rounds.

I paused, look at the man struggling with the baby just so the mother can sleep and asked; “are the men irresponsible or the children ungrateful?” why do fathers perdure neglect and disrespect synonymous to peotomy?

I won’t tell you what everyone said but it was good five minutes as everyone gave his or her opinion including all the mothers. A colleague asked the medical student (who happens to be an African American) how it is like in the USA for father’s day?

She grinned, “in America, most of the African American fathers are not in the house…” which means consequentially that the children see more of the mothers.

The story might not be different in Ghana, it’s true that some fathers are irresponsible but I have also equally seen irresponsible mothers in Ghana, mothers who abandon their children, leave them with breast-less fathers but we tend to magnify irresponsible fathers and diminish as well as excuse irresponsible mothers.

Some mothers poison their children not to respect their fathers and even threaten them never to go to them. Whatever the reason, whatever happened, a child still needs a father and that is why we have a disjointed society. Some people hate their fathers even till death. I have lost my dad and I have cause to complain but hey the man passed his good brains and looks if for nothing at all-J. I am of the strong belief that some children are also ungrateful, they simply don’t appreciate their fathers under the pretense that the father was irresponsible.

I just have to stop writing here and sit back to read what you think, are the men irresponsible or the children ungrateful?

RUDOLPH NANABANYIN MENSAH
WRITER
FACEBOOK/LINKEDIN: RUDOLPH NANABANYIN MENSAH
TWITTER/IG: @dolphmedics
Blog: dolphinspires.wordpress.com

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