The Father Factor: The Official Blog of National Fatherhood Initiative

Yesterday, it was reported that former football star Lawrence Taylor was sentenced to six years probation for having sex with a 16-year-old prostitute. He will now be registered nationally as a “sex offender.” How embarrassing this must be for his wife and children.

This is yet another sad turn of events for Taylor who, in 2003, got much sympathy and a second chance from the public when he told reporter Mike Wallace, “L.T. died a long time ago, and I don’t miss him at all….all that’s left is Lawrence Taylor.” Unfortunately and sadly, to quote the famous line from the movie Poltergeist, “He’s baaack…”

It’s always especially troubling for me when I read about a father, prominent or not, that can’t get his life on track because he is consumed by his vices. When you’re a dad, in a very real sense, your life is not your own. Your actions - good and bad, moral or immoral - impact your children in a profound way. Like pebbles dropped in a pond, your actions ripple through your children’s lives, for good or for ill, for generations. Indeed, Taylor’s situation is a stark reminder of how pursuing short-term pleasure can yield long-term pain for those who love you.