As a Western society, we have often pushed for a strong motherly role in the household and usually praise the work that mothers put in. However, after my classes I have attended this week, it has made me realize how little we have discussed the importance of fathers and their role they play. We often joke about not needing men or a father in the home if we just have money or have a mother providing, though there is something special that father’s bring into their homes. “Interestingly, the estimated associations between mother–child time and children's cognitive outcomes were smaller than those observed for father–child time and occasionally statistically insignificant.”(Cano). While time with the mother is important for child development, time with the father is equally important to a child’s development, and the data and experiment that was run shows that the fathers time with children also include the cognitive development.
Fathers usually feel the responsibility of being able to provide for their family, and often think too much about it. When a father is present financially and emotionally, children are able to reap the benefits from both parents being active in the home. Without fathers, children often miss out on beginning to see the world for themselves. Mothers will often be gentle and try to protect their children while the fathers will be a little more rough and teach their children how to protect themselves. A balance of having both father and mother is very important to the creation of the family. “The importance of fathers' involvement in child care is twofold. First, it can be a precursor to increasing gender equality within families, by “freeing up” time for mothers to develop their skills...should be positively associated with child development” (Cano).
Fathers are an essential role in the home, one that is not receiving enough credit as it deserves. The ability to provide and be involved in the home is not one to be taken for granted. When we downplay the role of men and fathers in society, they will begin to act as what they are told. Similar to the idea of prisons that most people are familiar with; if you put someone in a cage they will act like animals. Let me put this into the same role for men; all men are selfish, disgusting, and sexually oriented beings. The words I just wrote are usually what most boys are told once they have access to the internet. If I said the same thing for women, it would be unacceptable. I DO NOT CARE if “Oh but women already have experienced that in the PAST” I could care less about the past and you should too. Instead of focusing on the past to justify your disgusting actions of today, look in the present and change actions that can become hurtful to others. To quote the Lion King, : “The past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it.”
“...paternal involvement in their children's upbringing (e.g., by promoting work–family balance among fathers) should bring moderate-to-high gains to their children in terms of cognitive functioning” (Cano). Personally, I do see the benefits of growing up with a father in the home. I was able to open up more and be able to realize that my struggles will be dealt with as the rest of the world sees fit. I was able to know how my father thinks and understand how other grown men think as well. With this thought process applicable to many different ideas, I feel as if I know more of the world around me.
Fathers are also responsible for furthering their children's brain function. The study that was done by Tomas Cano concerning Australian children and their families. The results of their study states that: “The total amount of father–child time is associated with, at best, small improvements in children's cognitive functioning. In contrast, the amount of father–child time in educational activities is associated with moderate to large improvements. Such associations are similar for highly and less-highly educated fathers.” (Cano). The results of fathering are not as easily seen as mothering. We should continue to keep in mind that if we are not looking for results, we will not be able to see it. Fathers are an important part to the development of the rising generations.
The youth are the future of the world. When we find value in a loving family, we can find peace in our own homes.
Until next week!
-Grace Coria
References
Cano, T., Perales, F., & Baxter, J. (2018). A Matter of Time: Father Involvement and Child Cognitive Outcomes. Journal of Marriage and Family, 81(1), 164–184. https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12532
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