FindLaw outlines a host of topics related to the rights of fathers, but why go to all the trouble of explaining them in such detail? The bottom line, and a crucial insight for Texas fathers to understand, is that paternity matters.
The Attorney General of Texas goes to great lengths to help dads understand exactly why their role is so significant and why they should establish legal paternity early. First, the process gives a father the basic right to claim his child and include his name on the baby’s birth certificate. It also allows him to add the little one as a beneficiary on his medical and other insurance policies.
Besides the basic provision of lawful connection between fathers and children, however, paternity offers identity. Children who know their dad find a sense of belonging. They know who they are and where they fit in a broader family. This sense of connectedness can give little ones a strong foundation for growing up to be emotionally healthy and productive citizens.
In general, emotional connections between a dad and his sons and daughters are made easier when parents establish paternity early. When children realize lawful measures are in place, they can relax knowing their father is fully in their lives and is not likely to walk away. Both parents and young ones, then, can be free to build meaningful relationships to last a lifetime.
Finally, paternity not only benefits dads and their children but also offers moms a sense of security. It allows them to feel safe knowing their children have provision the courts legally recognize.