Author: Rich Gorecki

My last post for Father’s Day indicated that June is also National Fathers Awareness Month which emphasizes the importance of fatherhood. It’s also National Men’s Health Month, which highlights the importance of male physical and mental health. While Pride Month and Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October receive most of the media attention, men’s health is equally important because it impacts how well a man shows up as a father, husband, and friend. In my opinion, having healthier, well-balanced men benefits everyone. An Epidemic of Male Health Studies show there is a growing concern about the overall health of men. According to the CDC, men die 5.8 years earlier than women as the average life expectancy of females in 2021 was 79.3 years and just 73.5 years for males. Some experts refer to as a “silent epidemic” due to the lack of public awareness and policy debate of the health

This weekend is Father’s Day in which we celebrate father figures and the important role they play in families. June is also National Fathers Awareness Month, which highlights the importance of fatherhood. But this year something really bugs me. Why have we lost focus on the importance of fathers? I’d suggest we return to honoring fathers as much as we do mothers. Both are important to children, families, and society so let’s build up and respect good dads just as much as we do moms.   OK, I may be more sensitive this year after losing my dad last April and my mother several years ago. Maybe I’m still grieving. But Father’s Day and Mother’s Day is important to me. Not just because I am a parent, but to remember my parents. It’s also a day to honor my in-laws, who continue to show our family what love and marriage

I read an troubling post recently that The Reading Gap between young boys and girls is growing dramatically. The post also quotes the American Psychological Association that American Girls Read and Write Better than American Boys. This growing disparity is alarming and can have long-term impacts on men’s success in various aspects of life. Well, it’s time to shrink the gap by encouraging more boys and men to start reading again. We need more men leading —or at least keeping up with women, rather than falling behind. As Harry Truman once said, “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.”  Some people believe men are lost and our boys are not all right. Not only are males falling behind in the education system but they lead statistically in the “deaths of despair” from suicide, drug addictions, and alcoholism. Too many males disengage, are uncommunicative, and become passive. They