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There are many important matters why fathers matter

Capital - 6/16/2021

Sunday marks the observance of Father's Day, once again giving us the opportunity to consider and celebrate the meaning of fatherhood.

Of course, fatherhood is not about donating genetic material during the fertilization process of the human egg at conception. Fatherhood is about being constructively involved in the parenting, well-being, care and development of their child.

For many years, fathers were placed on the sidelines while social scientists studied the importance and impact of mothering.

While there is no doubt about the mother's crucial importance in producing and raising a child, new evidence is showing that fathers also have a tremendous influence on the health of their children.

Numerous trends and social changes have made fathers' involvement in raising children more important than ever. As our society has evolved, fathers are now much more likely to spend a significant amount of time with their children. It is not unusual any longer to have some stay-at-home dads raising children. There have also been other changes that have drawn fathers into being more active with their children.

One change is that there has been a tremendous increase in two-income households. With both parents working outside the home, there is a much greater tendency for both parents to be involved in the day-to-day raising and care of their children. Also, the relatively high divorce rate has pulled many fathers into greater time and involvement with their children due to shared physical custody arrangements.

As a result, there has been significantly more research done on fatherhood, much of which scientifically demonstrates the importance of fathers in their children's lives. These findings go beyond generally "loving" their child, as research is suggesting that fathers contribute something unique and important to a child's growth and development that is not easy to find elsewhere. Current theories suggest that a father's love may be complimentary to the mother's but is qualitatively different and encourages a different set of positive behaviors.

What is it that fathers contribute to their children's growth that makes their involvement so important? Sometimes referred to as the "Father Factor," research has consistently shown that a father's involvement with their children increases many important, if not critical, factors of their child's well-being and success.

Specifically, children with positively involved fathers boast higher IQ scores and better linguistic and cognitive abilities, even when socioeconomic status and other possible confounding factors are controlled. Children of positively involved fathers earn better grades, go farther in school, are more likely to stay in and graduate high school, and ultimately are more successful occupationally. Children with involved fathers have higher self-esteem, lower incidence of depression and overall better physical and mental health. They also have a lower incidence of substance abuse, legal problems and teen pregnancy.

Even the way a father plays with their child can have a beneficial effect. Research shows that fathers tend to engage in more physical play with their children and that this play helps children learn how to regulate their emotions more effectively. Children with playful fathers often learn how to win and to lose, how to go up against odds that are not in their favor and how to persevere and keep trying, even when things may seem to be going against them. In short, children with involved fathers show more patience and can handle stress and frustration more effectively than children with less involved or absent fathers.

These positive gains and advantages for children with involved fathers are even more likely to occur when children are raised in the context of marriage or a formally committed relationship. This is for several reasons, including the fact that married fathers are statistically more likely to be positively involved with their children and to stay involved with their children than unmarried fathers. Other factors associated with this consistent finding are that marriage and committed relationships create increased legal, social and financial structure that encourages the father's involvement.

Research on the many vexing social problems in our society have consistently shown that if a child is educated, avoids pregnancy, legal problems and substance abuse, they are likely to succeed, regardless of their gender, race or religion. Fathers play a tremendous part in helping their children achieve these goals and thus while they help their children, they are also helping to stabilize and improve society as a whole.

That is an important fact that is worth toasting to all the positively involved fathers this coming Father's Day, because being a good father matters!