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'Presence over perfection': Franklin County staff urge fathers to show up
Summary
Franklin County Child Support staff framed fatherhood around presence rather than perfection, advising fathers to be present in small everyday moments and to remain open to learning and mentorship.
Peter Green, an intake worker with Franklin County Child Support, described fatherhood as "presence, time" and said he models his parenting on the father he wished he had. Green said being a parent is being both a teacher and a student: "we're forever grown in this role."
Steven Block, a support officer and member of the agency's fatherhood ERG, called fatherhood "mentorship" and said learning while parenting is part of the role. Denise Hagood (outreach) emphasized memory and legacy, noting that even distant or brief interactions can create lasting impressions for children. Together the panel summarized the episode’s central refrain as "presence over perfection," repeatedly encouraging fathers to prioritize consistent presence over faultless performance.
