The life-long impact of absent fathers | Kent D. Ballard, Jr. | TEDxWilsonPark

Fatherlessness impacts every area of a person's life. Kent Ballard, Jr., a seasoned educator with more than 17 years of experience in various sectors, especially the industry of education. He has been recognized for demonstrating a natural aptitude for promoting student achievement and growth.

He has a specific passion to see young men striving for their absolute best, especially young men who have been physically or emotionally abandoned by their fathers.

His professional focal points include student evaluation, professional development, marketing, curriculum development, program development, complex problem-solving, and project management.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Masters in Education with a Specialization in Urban and Diverse Learners. He currently is the Workforce Education Specialist for the Chamber Foundation, a 501c3 under the Huntsville/Madison Chamber of Commerce in Huntsville, Alabama. In this role, He will empower students, faculty, and staff members, and administrators to develop tomorrow's workforce through effective resources and informational insight. Huntsville is growing and he is proud to be a part of the Chamber of Commerce in this season of change.

[chrislim]

I never thought there were so many of us with absent/invisible fathers. 😔

[kurarisusa]

I believe fatherlessness is one of the worst and yet most invisible epidemics of our culture today. I don’t think enough of us realize just how painful it is for children and how often that abandonment wound is through into adulthood. We really need to address and reverse this tragedy.

[homemakingministrieswithta]

"I will be a Father to the Fatherless, and you will be my sons and daughters." 2nd Corinthians 6:18. Is how I've always tried to cope. ❤️

[cxrlxs]

Imagine being a fatherless child feeling guilty, struggling in school and society and watching this video, yeah that’s me 🙋‍♂️ thanks so much for this video I’ll use your techniques ✊🧠 inverse intellectual 🧐

[bighomiehydro]

Sometimes growing up without a father you are subject to so much abuse from your mother.

[zaidhernandez]

People need to understand the severity of the situation we are in now, too many of us grow up without fathers

[matthooper]

No dad in the home, we all missed out in different ways. My biggest complaint was always having to take the long hardest bumpiest route in life. Looking back I would have loved to have a dad stomp a footprint in front of me and say way. This is the best way from A to Z. No need to make the same mistakes I made." I became successful and have done pretty well. But God almighty I logged 10x the miles, bumps & bruises that would have been nice to avoid. Father gone when I was two- made me determined to be a superb Father. And I have been. My son did not take the long winding bumpy rocky road. I stomped my footprint and showed him the way. He turned out to be a magnificent & extremely successful son.

[debbienorman]

My son grew up with no Dad. His Dad died in a car wreck when he was 4 years old. He is 33 now and has overcome many obstacles. This is his story!

[jonesman]

I didnt knew my father until the age of 17. I remember sometimes when i saw other men wondering if that could be him. Even today where i know him, i sometimes catch myself looking for him in public. Feeling Abandoned and not wanted by your own father as a man seems to me the most painful feeling in this world. I used to feel ashamed and guilty just for being alive, since i thought the reason for his rejection was that i am wrong. Now I am starting to realise that he just is a very weak men, so i can be strong. I am trying to forgive and let go, but its a long process.

[PatriciaMugo-cm]

I feel heartbroken seeing my son walk this lonely path. However, I take solace in knowing that many good men are willing to mentor him and help him on his journey to manhood. take heart, everyone

[Midzdk]

One thing I learned about being a fatherless man. You become who you hate, but when you forgive them for not being in your life you get your identity back off who you truly are, remember your dad is just a normal human .

I’ve always said this, there is no different to absent dad and a murderer. They both destroy lives.

[orpheus]

What I went through because of absent father is unspeakable and I’ll never forgive him

[calvinbernard]

I did not really realize how much it would impact my future when my parents divorced when i was younger. It affected my behavior, way of thinking, self esteem. Now at 29 I am only reflecting on the things which i have done, mostly what you would consider "fatherless and only child behavior" . But now i realized i cannot keep blaming the situation anymore and keep playing the victim, something must change and it must come within.

[xo.Frenchie]

I don't understand how you can create another human being and not even care for it. Like how do they sleep at night?!

[carrienz]

what a lovely speaker and person this man has become, it brought me to tears. Our dad abandoned us for a better life and our mum was left to raise 3 kids under 5, no job, no money, no car, no house as it came with his job, and this was in the 70's when even the church turned us away because divorce was frowned upon. Thank goodness we were given the mother we had, we hit the jackpot! She has given her love to us every day and still puts us before herself even though she is 79 and struggles with aging, mobility and Parkinsons issues. As I'm her baby (at 54) she still rings me every day to see if I'm ok, have I eaten, and to show interest in my life, I love her to the moon and back and am so grateful she is my mum. My dad passed away last year after a lonely elderly life, even though he had been married 4 or 5 times, he was always looking for something better but never found it. It was just as I had imagined it would turn out for him. We were at his side though as mum raised us to resepct our elders and show compassion to others. I felt at his time of passing he had lost a lot in life, more than we were about to.

[anonymousgirl]

My absent father died last year. I didn't shed a tear. Always in the receiving line, asking me to write letters to him, provide photos, acknowledge his family, while doing nothing reciprocal for me. Incredible!!! My mother never commented much, either way. As a result, I had no children of my own, refusing to reward their bad behavior. If people don't want to care for children they create, they shouldn't have them. Abandoned children owe them NOTHING. Kick Rocks.

[DizzyWolf]

Even though he and my mother were divorced, my father was present and helpful during my childhood. He was my #1. When I was 17, he met someone and got remarried. A few years later, he was unreachable. Realizing that he'd left my left was a slow and painful process. 10 years later, I saw him with his wife and adopted daughter. He saw me and acted like he didn't know who I was. I found out shortly after that he did recognize me, he was just blatantly trying to ignore me in the presence of his new family. While it killed me inside, it helped me conclude, peacefully, that I won't even be trying to attend his funeral, and he is as good as dead to me.

[baileewilliams]

Fatherless and motherless currently, i lived with my grandparents when I was younger, and while they may not say it i feel as if i’m a burden to them. We don’t talk often and when we do it’s strained. I experience so much uncertainty and insecurity about myself as a person and it’s terrible not having a familial figure to confide in. I extend my empathy to all those who feel similarly. May we grow an individuals together.

[loro]

I had an amazing father. He was a quadraplegic due to polio as a child. He was unstoppable and unflappable. I knew, even as a child, that I had the best dad. Even in my old age I miss him and am grateful for his influence in my life.

[icyfilips]

My absent father just died hours ago that's why I'm watching this video. It really hurts because I will never get closure nor apologies from him. I'm still thinking if I should go to his wake or not. Thank you for this video, Sir Kent!