Cosby touts power of fatherhood

Bill Cosby has been an outspoken advocate for strong and involved fatherhood for several years now.

In a Martin Luther King Day speech in Peoria, Illinois, the comedian again raised issues centering on using parenting skills to take an active role in your child’s future.

Fathers and mothers can begin by listening to what their kids have to say, according to Cosby’s parenting advice.

"In parenting, we’ve got a lot of work to do. Our children need us for love. They don’t know how to talk," he said, as quoted by the Peoria Journal-Star.

"Talk to your kids. We are old people and we have wisdom. But the thing that’s blocking us is we are afraid."

Throughout the talk, the creator of the beloved Cosby Show reiterated the need for fathers and the community to take responsibility for raising children.

He also described his own childhood in Philadelphia, where he grew up without a true father figure.

In the past, Cosby has spoken out about parental responsibility and the role of fatherhood within the African-American community, drawing both praise and controversy for his blunt views.