Dads who don't live at home are still important

In the lead-up to father's day (and to compensate for my inability to find time to write real posts), here are a couple of recent studies highlighting the importance of fathers:

Fathers Have Great Impact On Their Children's Lives, Even When Not At Home

"[...] looked at the quality of the relationship nonresidential fathers had with their children. The closer the father-child relationship -- not just the amount of visitation -- the better children were doing,"

This news can be both frightening and reassuring for dads who don't live with their kids. Dads who don't get to see their kids often, but find ways to really engage them can still play an important role. On the other hand, fathers who get to see their kids a lot, but don't find ways to connect won't have a big impact.