MEDIA RELEASE
The idea of Father’s Day was conceived slightly more than a century ago by Sonora Dodd of Spokane, Wash., while she listened to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909. Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart, a widowed Civil War veteran who was left to raise his six children on a farm. A day in June was chosen for the first Father’s Day celebration — 100 years ago, June 19, 1910, proclaimed by Spokane’s mayor because it was the month of Smart’s birth. The first presidential proclamation honoring fathers was issued in 1966 when President Lyndon Johnson designated the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day. Father’s Day has been celebrated annually since 1972 when President Richard Nixon signed the public law that made it permanent.
How Many Fathers?
67.8 million
Estimated number of fathers across the nation.
Source: Unpublished data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation
25.8 million
Number of fathers who were part of married-couple families with children younger than 18 in 2009.
- 22 percent were raising three or more children younger than 18 (among married-couple family households only).
- 3 percent lived in someone else’s home.
Source: America’s Families and Living Arrangements
http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/hh-fam.html
1.7 million
Number of single fathers in 2009; 15 percent of single parents were men.
- 8 percent were raising three or more children younger than 18.
- About 47 percent were divorced, 29 percent were never married, 18 percent were separated, and 5 percent were widowed.
- 44 percent had an annual family income of $50,000 or more.
Source: America’s Families and Living Arrangements
http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/hh-fam.html
85%
Among the 30.2 million fathers living with children younger than 18, the percentage who lived with their biological children only. In addition, 11 percent lived with stepchildren, 4 percent with adopted children and fewer than 1 percent with foster children.
Source: Living Arrangements of Children: 2004
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/children/011507.html
Thinking of You, Dad
8,610
The number of men’s clothing stores around the country (as of 2007), a good place to buy dad a tie or shirt.
Source: County Business Patterns http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/
14,193
The number of hardware stores (as of 2007), a place to buy hammers, wrenches, screwdrivers and other items high on the list of Father’s Day gifts. Additionally, there were 7,150 home centers across the country in 2007.
Source: County Business Patterns http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/
23,756
Number of sporting goods stores in 2007. These stores are good places to purchase traditional gifts for dad, such as fishing rods and golf clubs.
Source: County Business Patterns http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/
76 million
The number of Americans who participated in a barbecue in the last year — it’s probably safe to assume many of these barbecues took place on Father’s Day.
Source: Mediamark Research & Intelligence, as cited in the Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2010
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/, Table 1203
Mr. Mom
158,000
Estimated number of stay-at-home dads in 2009. 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 wives work outside the home. These fathers cared for 290,000 children. Among these stay-at-home dads, 59 percent had two or more children, and 57 percent had an annual family income of $50,000 or more.
Source: America’s Families and Living Arrangements
http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/hh-fam.html
24%
Among the nation’s 11.2 million preschoolers whose mothers are employed, the percentage who are regularly cared for by their father during their mother’s working hours. This amounted to 2.7 million children.
Source: Who’s Minding the Kids? Child Care Arrangements: Spring 2006
http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/child/tables-2006.html
Child-Support Payments
$2.8 billion
Amount of child support received by custodial fathers in 2007; they were due $4.3 billion. In contrast, custodial mothers received $18.6 billion of the $29.8 billion in support that was due.
Source: Custodial Mothers and Fathers and Their Child Support
45%
Percentage of custodial fathers who received all child support that was due in 2007, not significantly different from the corresponding percentage for custodial mothers.
Source: Custodial Mothers and Fathers and Their Child Support
67%
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 56 percent.
Source: Custodial Mothers and Fathers and Their Child Support
Time with Daddy
53% and 71%
Percentages of children younger than 6 who ate breakfast and dinner, respectively, with their father every day in 2006. The corresponding percentages who ate with their mother were 58 percent and 80 percent. (The percentages of children who ate breakfast with their mother or father, respectively, were not significantly different from each another.)
Source: A Child’s Day: 2006
http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/2006_detailedtables.html
36%
Percentage of children younger than 6 who had 15 or more outings with their father in the last month, as of 2006.
Source: A Child’s Day: 2006
http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/2006_detailedtables.html
6
Average times children ages 3 to 5 were read to by their fathers in the past week, as of 2006.
Source: A Child’s Day: 2006
http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/2006_detailedtables.html
66%
Percentage of children younger than 6 who were praised three or more times a day by their fathers.
Source: A Child’s Day: 2006
http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/2006_detailedtables.html
—
Good afternoon,
As the father of two young daughters, I know that being a father is one of the most important jobs any man can have.
My own father left my family when I was two years old. I was raised by a heroic mother and wonderful grandparents who provided the support, discipline and love that helped me get to where I am today, but I still felt the weight of that absence throughout my childhood. It’s something that leaves a hole no government can fill. Studies show that children who grow up without their fathers around are more likely to drop out of high school, go to jail, or become teen fathers themselves.
And while no government program can fill the role that fathers play for our children, what we can do is try to support fathers who are willing to step up and fulfill their responsibilities as parents, partners and providers. That’s why last year I started a nationwide dialogue on fatherhood to tackle the challenge of father absence head on.
In Chicago, the Department of Health and Human Services held a forum with community leaders, fatherhood experts and everyday dads to discuss the importance of responsible fatherhood support programs. In New Hampshire, Secretary of Education Duncan explored the linkages between father absence and educational attainment in children. In Atlanta, Attorney General Holder spoke with fathers in the criminal justice system about ways local reentry organizations, domestic violence groups and fatherhood programs can join together to support ex-offenders and incarcerated individuals who want to be closer to their families and children.
Now we’re taking this to the next level. Tomorrow, I’ll make an announcement about the next phase of our efforts to help fathers fulfill their responsibilities as parents — The President’s Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative. You can learn more at www.fatherhood.gov.
This Father’s Day — I’m thankful for the opportunity to be a dad to two wonderful daughters. And I’m thankful for all the wonderful fathers, grandfathers, uncles, brothers and friends who are doing their best to make a difference in the lives of a child.
Happy Father’s Day.
Sincerely,
President Barack Obama
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