Don’t forget Dad All About Dads 70.1 million: Estimated number of fathers across the nation. 24.4 million: Number of fathers who were part of marriedcouple families with children younger than 18 in 2012; 21 percent were raising three or more children younger than 18 (among married-couple family households only); 3 percent were a subfamily living in someone else’s home. 1.96 million: Number of single fathers in 2012; 16 percent of single parents were men. Nine percent were raising three or more children younger than 18. About 44 percent were divorced, 31 percent were never married, 20 percent were separated, and 5 percent were widowed.42 percent had an annual family income of $50,000 or more.
Stay at Home Dads 189,000: Estimated number of stay-at-home dads in 2012. These married fathers with children younger than 15 have remained out of the labor force for at least one year primarily so they can care for the family while their wife works outside the home. These fathers cared for upward of 369,000 children. 18 percent: In spring 2011, the percentage of preschoolers regularly cared for by their father during their mother’s working hours.
Father’s Day — always the third Sunday in June — who would’ve thought of such a thing? A woman, of course! Around 1909, we’re told, Sonora Smart Dodd was listening to a Mother’s Day tribute at church when she decided that homage should also be paid to fathers and especially to her own. William Jackson Smart was a single parent and Civil War veteran who, alone, raised his six children in Spokane, Washington. Sonora preferred to honor all fathers on June 5, which was her father’s birthday, but the third Sunday of June was “endorsed” by President Calvin Coolidge in 1924. President Lyndon Johnson declared Father’s Day a holiday in 1966, but it was not officially recognized until the presidency of Richard Nixon in 1972. Like most celebrations, the dateline is not as important as the reason for it. Paying tribute to “the big guy” brings many families together for cookouts, picnics, and playtime, and of course, most often arranged by us moms and daughters. I encourage all of you who have a living father to spend the day with him and make every moment count. Let us not forget those wives and children who have lost their husbands and fathers this year, and those fathers who have lost children. Hopefully, the following recipes will help make the day a bit more special for everyone involved.
Child-Support Payments
Cowboy Casserole
$1.9 billion: Amount of child support received by custodial fathers in 2009; they were due $3.5 billion. In contrast, custodial mothers received $19.5 billion of the $31.7 billion in support that was due.
2 lb. ground beef, cooked and drained
34 percent: Percentage of custodial fathers who received all child support that was due in 2009, not significantly different from the corresponding percentage for custodial mothers, 42 percent.
4 oz. mayonnaise
70 percent: Percentage of custodial fathers receiving noncash support, such as gifts or coverage of expenses, on behalf of their children. The corresponding proportion for mothers was 58 percent.
2 cups biscuit mix
1 (1.25-oz.) pkg. taco seasoning 4 oz. sour cream 8 oz. Cheddar cheese, shredded and divided 1 yellow onion, sliced Water 2 tomatoes, sliced 1 green bell pepper, sliced 1 (4-oz.) can sliced jalapeno peppers
Information Source: US Census Bureau
48
JUNE 2013 | AAWMAG.COM