The Importance of Fathers in Raising Children: Helping Them Get Involved and Stay Involved
The Importance of Fathers in Raising Children: Helping Them Get Involved and Stay Involved By Mary Jane Rotheram, Ph.D. June 30, 2011
Historically, fathers have not been as involved in the care and upbringing of children as mothers. Parent education used to be synonymous with training of mothers, as they were viewed as the primary care giver.1, 2 In 1991, only 20% of parent training programs included fathers.3 While this has changed dramatically in the past 20 years, the father is still less likely to be as involved in raising children as is the mother. This is especially true in households that place a high priority on tradition and conservative values, as opposed to households in which openness to change is a high priority.4
This historical influence may contribute to why most fathers feel unprepared for fatherhood. Pregnancy and transition to parenthood are major developmental periods within families, affecting both mothers and fathers, yet fathers often do not receive the help they need. Fathers have reported a lack of support mechanisms, information on parenting, and involvement during the prenatal period. To adequately prepare new fathers for parenthood, all training and preparatory exercises should include both mother and father.5
Feeling unprepared to become a parent causes many fathers stress. Once the baby is born, that stress is increased by all of the new responsibilities the father encounters. An expecting father needs to address these stresses and develop the ability to cope with the stress of parenthood, along with learning the skills and knowledge needed to care for his new baby.6 When fathers feel less stress associated with parenting, they are more involved.7
Fathers play a distinct role in children’s development, and fathers’ involvement in child-rearing leads to more positive outcomes for children. A number of factors may make the fathers’ involvement so important. Social and cultural norms cause children to react differently to their fathers and their mothers, sometimes giving the father better results. For example, a child will react more positively to fathers’ constructive conflict tactics than to mothers’. Fathers may also be less socially constrained in their parental roles than mothers, which means they bring greater variability in their parenting practices.8 Children also benefit simply from having an additional close bond that is different from the one shared with their mother.9
Fathers should involve themselves in all aspects of child-rearing from the very beginning. This will result in better outcomes for them and for their children.
__________________________________
1 Hulbert, A. (2003). Raising America. New York: Alfred A. Knopf 2 Lamb, M.E. (1997). Fathers and child development: An Introductory Overview. In M.E. Lamb (Ed.), The role of fathers in child development (3rd ed., pp. 1-18). New York: Wiley. 3 Coplin, J. W. and A. C. Houts (1991). "Father involvement in parent training for oppositional child behavior-progress or stagnation." Child & Family Behavior Therapy 13(2): 29-51. 4 Gaunt, R. (2005). "The role of value priorities in paternal and maternal involvement in child care." Journal of Marriage and the Family 67(3): 643-655. 5 Deave, T. & Johnson, D. (2008). The transition to parenthood: what does it mean for fathers? Journal of Advanced Nursing, 63(6): 626-633. 6 Fletcher, R. et al. (2008). Psychosocial assessment of expectant fathers. Archives of Women’s Mental Health 11(1): 27-32. 7 Hulbert, 2003. 8 Coley, R. L. and S. Coltrane (2007). "Commentary: Impact of father involvement on children's developmental trajectories: New findings panel for the national fatherhood forum." Applied Developmental Science 11(4): 226-228. 9 Pleck, J. H. (2007). "Why could father involvement benefit children? Theoretical perspectives." Applied Developmental Science 11(4): 196-202.
