By Dr. Meg Meeker
As a pediatrician who has listened to thousands of children cry over the fathers they never knew, I know how critical it is to our children to be impacted by great dads. NFL Player Engagement’s Fatherhood Initiative is about engaging NFL players on the subject of parenting, and using their stories to provide inspiration and tools for all men—in the locker room and beyond—to be great fathers.
Though it may seem unlikely on the surface, I see the NFL as the best place to start. If the men who are revered and admired by all other men came forward to set the standard for good parenting, imagine the impact that could have. Furthermore, the NFL is a great place to start because it’s already loaded with good men. Sure, these athletes are fast, tough, strong, and superb as athletes, but from the players I met, being great at their sport pales in comparison to the other gifts they have. Take a look.
VIDEOS: THE FATHERHOOD INITIATIVE
As my conversation with these men shows, there is much more to NFL athletes than being great on the field. LaVar Arrington is so committed to his family that when he has to travel, he takes them with him whenever he can. Benjamin Watson has four beautiful kids that he cherishes so much, he and his wife homeschool them and teach them about God every day. Mike Adams lights up when he talks about his two children and his pending marriage. And if you ask London Fletcher which is more fun, winning the Super Bowl or watching the birth of his child, he doesn’t hesitate. The answer is watching his child being born, of course. And by the way, each of the other men agreed.
David Tyree literally glows when he talks about his children – particularly his oldest son, who is a caring, deep, and well-mannered young man. He and his wife not only see themselves as their children’s primary teachers, but he even takes on the role of pastoring his children.
After talking with these gentlemen, I was so inspired by their stories that I think we need to “show them off” and share the side of them that the highlight reels don’t show. They can play game after game, win Super Bowls, and even become Hall of Famers, but if we don’t let their teammates and others see their deeper strengths, we have missed an opportunity to do a greater work. That is, to build a platform through which men in the locker rooms can show, understand, and live out what matters more than just playing football.
NFL men are primed to engage in and lead the conversation on fatherhood even better than most, because in my mind, they already have many of the requirements for being good dads. They are team players, good listeners, highly disciplined, courageous, stubborn when necessary, and they really know how to have someone’s back. And that’s what good fathers do.
As The Fatherhood Initiative grows, we will see more NFL players sharing about their experience with parenting.
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ABOUT DR. MEG MEEKER
The Wisdom of a Pediatrician. The Heart of a Mother. Pediatrician, mother and best-selling author of six books, Dr. Meg Meeker is the country’s leading authority on parenting, teens and children’s health.
Dr. Meeker writes with the know-how of a pediatrician and the big heart of a mother because she has spent the last 25 years practicing pediatric and adolescent medicine while also helping parents and teens to communicate more deeply about difficult topics such as sex, STDs and teen pregnancy. Her work with countless families over the years served as the inspiration behind her groundbreaking book Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters, and her most recent, The Ten Habits of Happy Mothers.