Fatherhood article

 Fatherhood has been shown to have a dramatic impact on the result of children as they grow up. An article that supports this point is an article called Fatherhood in the 21st century, by Natasha J. Cabrera, Catherine S. Tamis-LeMonda, Robert H. Bradley, Sandra Hofferth, and Michael E. Lamb. This article discusses the changing roles that fathers are playing in the development of children. 5 important points that this article discusses are the problems that arise as a result of more father absence, the responsibility of the father, the attachment to the children., harmonious living conditions, economic responsibility.

Fatherhood absence has been shown to have critical effects on the development of children. According to the article, in 1960, only 6% of families were headed by a female, where as in 1998, it had jumped to 24%. This increase has allowed for more information to be seen as a result of the higher propensity of fatherless households. This article discussed that these families that did not have a father figure has shown to cause on average poorer school achievement, diminished involvement in the labor force, early childbearing, and heightened levels of risk taking behavior. This correlation shows that as fathers are less involved with their children, the children are less likely to have the same level of success, or quality of life that they otherwise would have had if an active father figure.

The responsibility of the father often shows us the quality of the relationship between them and their children. While there are other factors to consider, such as accessibility, and engagement, responsibility is often a good indicator of the quality of the father figure in that role. It has been shown that as fathers take care of more responsibilities, it is easier for children to respect their fathers, and listen to them, and accept them into their lives. As the father takes more responsibility, it has been shown that children have higher levels of development. The father is more able to take full control of the role as a father, and they are able to receive the benefits that having a father figure brings in.

The importance of fathers extend beyond just the temporal needs that they satisfy. As fathers are able to form close bonds with their children, children are able to receive a higher level of development. The more attachment that is reported to the father by the children, they often also report that they are less likely to engage in delinquent behavior, and feel less emotional distress. The attachment of the father allows for the children to be more stable in terms of their behaviors or emotions.

When there is a highly involved father, they are able to create a more harmonious environment to live in. The more that the father participates in the development of children, it creates a better environment for children to grow up in. Fathers act differently than mothers, and as a result allow for the children to get different experiences than they otherwise would if it was just a mother. The blend of a father and a mother allow for the best situation to develop a child.

One last point that this article discusses is the economic impact of having a father who is able to provide. As a result of having a father who provides more economic stability, children are shielded from the potential effects of poverty, such as low academic achievement, psychosocial problems, and crimes. The father allows for children to have a higher likelihood of complete development. The more that a father is able to provide economically voluntarily, children are more likely to report more behavior stability.