Why Fathers Matter In Early-childhood Development
Role of a father at birth
In the cycle of life and birth, we often forget to notice the important role a husband or soon to be father plays. The focus remains on the mother for the nine months that she is carrying the baby and thereafter immediately shifts to the baby primarily and secondarily to the mother.
A close friend once said – “it took me almost a year to realise that I had become a father of my child and that my life had changed. I was so busy taking care of my wife and new-born baby that I forgot to see what was happening within me”. Have you also faced a similar situation at your home?
A woman transitions into being a mother not only mentally, nature also works in a way that her physical state transforms into the care-giving role. For a man on the other hand, life hasn’t changed much in terms of physical changes in his body but mainly from point of view of having additional responsibilities. This traditional format of adopting parenthood often results in the father’s role coming into play much later in the child’s life.
Parenting in today’s lifestyle
Lifestyles today are quite different and both the mother and father have to participate almost equally right from the moment a child is born. For those women who were working before the child, they have to get back to the office in 6 to 8 months and without the support of joint families, parents have no option but to split the responsibility of child care equally.
I believe that this is great for a child’s emotional development. Unlike the earlier generations, today’s fathers are hands on with their child’s needs. They participate in roles like feeding, changing, bathing the baby, putting the baby to sleep and much more. Why this is great, is because these routine activities help a child and father bond at an emotional level.
Recently at school, when a child was asked by the teacher “did your mommy pack your lunch for you” the child quickly responded, “No teacher, my father packed my dabba, because he knows I love having a joker face sandwich”. The child did not associate the act of cooking or packing school tiffin to be a role only a mother played.
Conclusion
A father can make a huge difference in a child’s life. While being the pillar of strength and discipline, early involvement of a father in a child’s life results in raising well-adjusted, secure and happy children. When fathers are involved with their children, it brings positive benefits in the child’s life that no other male-figure can bring.
When mothers and fathers are ONE team, it sends a great message to the children. A message of unity, love and mutual respect which they will then learn to reciprocate by seeing their own parents.
In a world where children are exposed to a lot of male-domination around them, being raised by a father who is no different from their mother can create the much required gender equality in their minds today and in society tomorrow.
