Top 10 Responsibilities of Fathers in Child Development

 Responsibilities of Fathers

                                     

A father’s role is undoubtedly very important in the growth and development of children. Let us take a look at the top 10 responsibilities of fathers in child development.

Parents play a very important role in the growth process of their children. In some cases, fathers and mothers complement each other’s roles but some responsibilities are to be performed solely by the fathers. For the children, the father is the hero within the family. The behavior and activities of a father affect a child immensely so fathers must act responsibly. A responsible father will always ensure that his kids get a healthy environment to grow up physically and mentally. 

The top 10 responsibilities of fathers in child development are discussed below:

1. Father is Always a ProtectorChildren feel safe and secure when they have their father around. Children can concentrate on their work and activities better when they feel secure so the father has the responsibility to persuade his children that he is there to protect them from any problem.



2. Opens Up the World for the KidsFather is like a big window that opens up the entire world in front of the children. The children start getting acquainted with the entire world through the eyes of their father. For the children, their father is the best guide to teach them what is what in this world and fathers have the responsibility to keep up with their child’s exceptions.

 Responsibilities of Fathers

3. Unconditional LoveFathers have the responsibility to make sure that their children know how much their fathers love them and that they love them without any condition. Fathers must not encourage their children in doing things wrong but they must shower their love on their children without going into any condition.



4. Show Love and Respect for the PartnerFathers must show their love and respect to their partner. Only when fathers show respect and love to their partners, children would learn to respect their mothers and other elders. Fathers should never show any disgrace to their kids’ mothers.



5. Spending Quality Time Children always appreciate when they find their father spending quality time with them. The quality of time that a father spends with the child is much more important than the quantity of time spent with the child.



6. Teaching DisciplineFathers must take the responsibility of teaching discipline to their children. Fathers have the responsibility to specify clear boundaries for their children so that they understand what they can do and what they cannot.



7. Teaching AccountabilityFathers can teach a sense of accountability to their children. Children must learn the importance of accountability in their life and it is better if it is taught to the children by their parents at an early age.

 Responsibilities of Fathers

8. Involve In the StudiesExpecting the children to perform well in their exams without even knowing what they are studying is just not done. Fathers must get involved with their kids’ studies. They must not only read to their children rather they should read with their children.



9. Teach Taking ResponsibilitiesOnly when children watch their fathers taking responsibility, they will learn to take responsibility at various stages of their lives. Fathers must take on enough responsibilities in doing household activities and outside work also. This will encourage their children in being responsible enough.



10. Be a Provider Children consider their father to be the main provider of all materialistic items. That does not mean that fathers must fulfill all the demands of their children but they must identify the needs of their children and try to fulfill them. Fathers would surely love to fulfill all the needs of their children and family but they should never do it by going beyond their spending limitations and teaching their children the importance of savings.

Father and mother are two important pillars of a family and children need both of them while they grow up. That is why fathers need to behave responsibly.

The role of a father in childhood development

Responsibilities of Fathers

The role of a father can begin even before their child is born.

The pregnancy stage of fatherhood can be a time to bond with your partner and support them throughout their pregnancy by attending doctor checkups and discussing a birthing plan and parenting styles ahead of the new baby’s arrival. You can also research your baby’s weekly development and what your pregnant partner is experiencing week to week.

While many of these actions may seem small, they can go a long way in building a foundation between parents that can carry over once your baby arrives.

In fact, a recent study by trusted Sources showed that among partners with a higher rate of marital conflict, their children often reported lower feelings of secure attachments to their fathers. Taking the time early in pregnancy to build trust with your partner and focus on your relationship may reduce conflict and later improve your child’s attachment to you.

Building trust and strong attachments

“Fathers are one of the first attachments that young children make,” says Dr. Jessica Myszak, a child psychologist and The Help and Healing Center director in Glenview, Illinois. “This early attachment helps form the basis for future relationships in the child’s life. Through their earliest relationships, children learn that they can trust and depend on others.”

Children start to look for stability and build trust with their parents at a very early age. By showing your child that you are present and reliable, they can begin to form bonds with you that will last into their adulthood. Building this trust early in their lives can also influence how they perceive the world and how they approach relationships with other people.

Modeling healthy relationships

“When a father is active in a child’s life, particularly when they have a healthy relationship, that child grows up with a more positive identity and greater self-esteem,” says Nicholas Hardy, a licensed clinical social worker, and psychotherapist in Houston. “When a father is very present, this offers consistency and gives a child much-needed stability.”

Hardy continues, “Conversely, when a father is absent, the opposite effect occurs. Their ability to forge healthy relationships is impacted, and their subconscious beliefs about relationships are influenced in unhealthy ways.”

The changing responsibilities of fathers

“The role of fathers has certainly shifted over time,” explains Myszak. “Where decades ago, fathers were less involved in the household tasks and primarily contributed to the family through their work, households are now more likely to have two parents working, requiring more division of labor in the household.”

This shift has also created positive changes for many fathers in their family relationships and marriage. Dr. Helen Egger, the co-founder and chief medical officer of Little Otter in San Francisco, explains that “science and experience have shown that shared parenting and gender equity supports marital satisfaction, parenting satisfaction, and the raising of healthy children.”

In addition to doing more child-rearing tasks such as diaper changes and bottle feedings, fathers have also taken on emotional support roles, especially if they stay at home more and work less.

Still, changes to these traditional gender roles can be challenging for some dads to process right away. Breaking out of older norms can cause stress for fathers who may see their inability to be the primary income earner as a failure despite their strong desire to be more involved in parenting.

A 2018 study by trusted Sources turned the focus onto the needs of some new dads who reported wanting to participate more in co-parenting and creating a father-child bond with their new child, even if it caused signs of increased stress at the moment.

The increased focus on fathers as emotional caregivers has also led to more open discussions about how the birth of a child can impact a father’s mental health as well. While the signs of postpartum depression are commonly discussed for mothers, it’s only recently being discussed with new fathers.

“It is less known that dads also experience postpartum depression,” explains Egger. “Estimates are that 10% of men experience depression during the 3- to 6-month postpartum period. Dads and moms need to know that this can happen so that dads can get help for their depression.”

What are a father’s responsibilities?

Overall, one of the most significant responsibilities for a father is to set a good example for her children so that they can model his positive traits and actions. Children are incredibly observant, even at a very young age, and research shows trusted Sources that they will begin to copy and mimic the actions that they see around them.

If they see you react with empathy when they fall down, they will learn to show compassion to others. If they see you frequently respond with anger, they will learn to rely on anger more often when faced with frustrating situations.

“Just like with mothers, fathers who are loving and responsive to their child’s needs, and engaged with their children from the earliest age give children the secure foundation that will support their child throughout their lives,” says Egger. “How they care for and treat their children will have a huge impact on their children’s development, experience, and lifelong physical and mental health.”

What’s a father to do? Helpful tips

Get to know your kids

As your children grow up, they will discover new hobbies, learn new things at school, and want to share it all with you.

“Children are hungry for engagement and attention from their parents,” says Egger. “Dads should be proud to be the expert about their child: what foods do they like, who are their friends at school, what are they afraid of, how they show you how they are feeling with their behavior.”

If your child knows they can open up to you about everything in their lives, they will feel more comfortable opening up to you later when they encounter more significant fears and obstacles.

Let your kids get to know you

Children are curious and want to learn about the world around them. One of the best ways for them to learn is to introduce them to your world.

This can be with small things like letting them help put gas in the car before a short drive, showing them how you cook your favorite dish or taking them out to a baseball game or museum you like. Opening up about the things that you enjoy, will help you to not close yourself off from your kid emotionally.

Think back to your childhood

As we grow up, we can more objectively look back on how we were raised and our parents’ techniques.

“Our parents were learning, too, and being in touch with positive and negative experiences we had growing up can help shape our practices and philosophies around parenting,” explains Hardy.

Treat your partner and family with kindness and respect

Your child will learn what it means to be a father by watching the kind of father you are each day.

If you often talk down to their other parent or talk badly about your family, your child will think that behavior is acceptable and expected.

Conversely, if you treat your partner with respect and kindness, they will likely treat their future partner the same way, thanks to your character modeling.