Children don’t just respect titles; they respect availability. They may obey a title for a while, but what shapes their hearts is presence. Time. Consistency. Safety. The quiet knowing that someone will show up not just to correct them, but to know them. A father who demands obedience without relationship creates fear, not honor. And fear is a poor foundation for love.In childhood, fear can look like respect. The child stays quiet. Listens quickly. Falls in line. But what we often fail to see is what’s happening underneath. The questions they’re afraid to ask. The emotions they learn to hide. The parts of themselves they slowly shut down just to survive the environment. Authority without presence teaches children compliance, not connection. It tells them, “Do as I say, not because you trust me but because I have power over you.” And power without warmth always wounds.
