OUR TURN: A day to honor all of our good fathers

Research tells us the influence of a father can last a lifetime.

If the father is a good man, he imparts lessons of tolerance, civility and fairness to his children, providing a shining example they can follow the rest of their lives.

The good qualities they learn from their fathers can be passed down to the next generation, and the generation after that, and so on.

But the father who is cruel, intolerant and hurtful both mentally and physically can also teach his children habits that no one in their right mind wants, yet these are shackles that can take years to break — if ever.

These kinds of dark attributes perpetuate a cycle of abuse and violence that often leads to a dead end for so many.

And these also are habits easily passed down through the generations, because children learn by example.

Sunday, June 20, is Father’s Day.

Let it be a time where children and spouses everywhere celebrate the virtues of a good dad, one who participates fully in the raising of his family and the mentoring of his offspring so they one day will be able to contribute to society.

These are the fathers all of us should praise.

Fathers must also work hard to educate their young men about the qualities of being a good dad, whether it’s through shared intellectual pursuits, sports, church or even just going hunting or fishing together.

Good dads spend time with their kids. They do things together. They share in life’s triumphs and tribulations.

They are there when they need to be, both for their sons and their daughters, but they also know when it’s time to step back and permit a little liberty.

No one said parenting was easy, but it can be extremely rewarding.

Just ask the good dads. There are plenty of them out there.

Make sure they know how much you appreciate them, whether it’s Father’s Day or any day of the year.