G’day readers,

This entry will be a bit of researches that have been conducted on the father’s role in parenting. Most of the fathers thought that the mother is the most important person in raising children.  We tend to say the father’s responsibility to educate the children is less than the mother.  How true is this statement?

Let me bring you to a few studies that are relevant to this issue.

Studies have shown that there is a significant relationship between father’s involvement in parenting to toddlers development (Ann and Wendy, 1974; Meuwissen and Carlson, 2015).  Similar studies have also shown that the quality time provided by the father is far more important than the quantity in parenting for toddlers.  Interestingly the following study has also shown that the impact of love by father can be far more important than the mother particularly in psychological well-being and health of the offspring (Rohner et al., 2001).  Although the quality of the father-child relationship is crucial, paternal parenting styles are also important.

Luccie (1995) explained that the father involvement in parenting will improve immensely in marriage, employment status, social support and personal attributes of mother and children.  Further study showed that the involvement of father contributes significantly in social, emotional and cognitive development of children. Ultimately, this will also affect the adolescent of the children (Bronte-Tikew et al., 2006). Wilson and Prior (2011) also showed similar finding where they found that father’s involvement improves psychosocial adjustment in children and better mental health as adults; higher levels of cognitive and social competence; increased social responsibility, capacity for empathy, self-control, self-esteem, social maturity and life skills; more positive child–father and adolescent–father relationships; more prosocial sibling interactions; fewer school adjustment difficulties, better academic progress and enhanced occupational achievement in adulthood. The consequences for fathers of positive involvement are also related to a range of healthy psychosocial outcomes; psychological and social aspects of sharing parenting are associated with marital happiness, parental competence, and closeness to children.

Paternal involvement in children’s lives is considered critical for promoting positive child outcomes (Marsiglio et al., 2000). Findings have particularly emphasized the father-child relationship as an influence on child well-being (Parke, 2000).  Paternal involvement in children’s lives is considered critical for promoting positive child outcomes (Marsiglio et al., 2000). Findings have particularly emphasized the father-child relationship as an influence on child well-being (Parke, 2000). Zimmerman and colleagues (1995) have found that the amount of timespend with fathers and paternal emotional support are both associated with higher self-esteem and higher life satisfaction.

In conclusion, the father involvement is very important in raising children.  As a husband and a father, we should not put all the burden of educating our children only on the mothers and teachers. In fact, our role in parenting can be far more important than what we ever believe.

References

Bronte-Tinkew, Jacinta, Kristin A. Moore, and Jennifer Carrano. “The father-child relationship, parenting styles, and adolescent risk behaviors in intact families.” Journal of family issues 27.6 (2006): 850-881.

De Luccie, Mary F. “Mothers as gatekeepers: A model of maternal mediators of father involvement.” The Journal of Genetic Psychology 156.1 (1995): 115-131.

Marsiglio, W., Amato, P. R., Day, R., & Lamb, M.  Scholarship on fatherhood in the 1990s and beyond. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 62 (2000): 1173-1191.

Meuwissen, Alyssa S., and Michelle M. Englund. “Executive function in at-risk children: Importance of father-figure support and mother parenting.” Journal of applied developmental psychology 44 (2016): 72-80.

Parke, R. D.. The father-child relationship: A developmental psychological perspective. Marriage and Family Review, 29 (2000): 2-4.

Rohner, Ronald P., and Robert A. Veneziano. “The importance of father love: History and contemporary evidence.” Review of general Psychology 5.4 (2001): 382.

Zimmerman, M., Salem, D., & Maton, K. Family structure and psychosocial correlates among urban African-American adolescent males. Child Development, 66 (1995): 1598-1613.