Three Easy Things Dads Can Do to Influence Their Kids

ORLANDO, Fla. - Father's Day can be a bittersweet time for the fatherless family.

Divorce, separation, imprisonment, and even death can lead children to feelings of loss, envy and abandonment, particularly, around the holidays.

Author and president of Global Partners for Fathers and Families, Patrick Patterson is all too familiar with those feelings.

Patterson was raised by a single mother. His dad left when he was 15 years old.

"It was just this debilitating spirit that came through my house. When my dad left all the air I had in me was gone," Patterson reflected.

"When dads are there, the family is different," Patterson continued.

It's a familiar story. But Patterson says it won't be his story.

He has vowed to be there for his wife and two children. He is also determined to help other dads do the same.

Besides his work with the Bush administration, the Obama administration and The National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse, he is the president of Global Partners for Fathers and Families, a company dedicated to helping family-centric non-profits secure grants and funding.

Patterson has also co-authored a book with his daughters, Why We Love When Dad Reads to Us, to be released in the Fall of 2016.

He says that even if dads are no longer in a relationship with the mom, it's still important to be around if able.

The fatherless family isn't always the result of something traumatic like divorce or death. For many dads, it's the daily grind of the 9-5 that keeps them from establishing a meaningful connection with their children.

Patterson offers advice for the busy dad still longing to create memories and grow as a father:

1. Creating memories doesn't cost a thing.  Teaching children to build paper airplanes, taking a walk in the park or flipping through old photo albums are low cost ways to spend time with the kids.
2. Show affection to mom by hugging and holding hands in front of the children. In situations of divorce or separation, showing respect to the mother can also go a long way and have a lasting impact on their long-term view of you as a dad.
3. Surround yourself with other dads striving to be better, too. Fellow dads such as family members, church members or fraternity brothers can lend a great opportunity to bond and learn from each other.