The Dependance of the Child's Wellbeing on Father's Presence

Children’s brightest future mostly depends on father’s involvement throughout their early years. Building a healthy relationship with the child is imperative for the father in child caring and rearing. While in the early years of child’s life the physical care, stimulation as well as affection is very essential. Children whose fathers participate in their daily caring and rearing activities; show positive effects both the children and the fathers. Children gain advanced cognitive, physical, socio-emotional, language development and well-being from the early years as well as fathers are seem to be more satisfied with their lives. Therefore, this study attempts to assess the views of both fathers and mothers towards fathers’ involvement for children’s development & well-being in early years.

The study tries to explore this topic by asking this inquisitive research questions: (1) What are the parents’ perception of father involvement for children development and well-being in early years? (2) What are the common practices done by father to be involved? (3) What are the factors that prevent fathers from being involved in early years? A qualitative research approach and purposive sample technique were employed in doing the study. The data were collected through the of FGD and IDI guidelines. In this study, 12 parents were selected (6 mothers, 6 fathers) for the Focus Group Discussion and 6 parents (3 mothers, 3 fathers) for in-depth interview from the total population who had children of age 6 months - 5 years and belonging in the middle class family according to their socio-economic background. Data was organized and managed through transcription and analyzed through content analysis- categorization, coding and divided according to themes and subthemes.

The findings of the study are presented in four themes and several subthemes. The result can be derived based on the study findings that the parents had enough knowledge or understandings of child development. It is noteworthy that all the parents were expressing the social and emotional development which is as much important as physical development. Majority of the parents said that children’s well-being meant physical fitness or absence of diseases, however, parents were not much aware of children psychological well-being, their self-regard and hopefulness as children’s overall well-being.

Though both the parents were very much aware about the father involvement on child development and well-being and most of the father’s also wanted to do their responsibilities; however the issues is the extent of the fathers’ responsibilities, which is determined by the society and culture is not much linked with the interaction and accessibility of child’s rearing. Still the majority of the parents’ believed that the daily child rearing activities or time spent to engage in domestic tasks is not father’s defined responsibilities.

Analysis from the study revealed that predominantly the fathers thought the primary caregiver of their child is their spouse. The father’s thought that they did not have significant responsibilities in children’s physical care. To them, they also took part in daily caring and rearing activities which are mainly talking or gossiping with them of their daily activities or favorite issues or friends or school; watching movie or TV with them; taking them to a park or any relatives house or for a walk; buying toys or foods; playing with them and eating with them. Moreover it is an interesting findings that fathers’ were very much concerned on child education, but the fathers assisted the children rarely to prepare their homework. They actually ready to pay for the child’s education, guide and instruct them. In fact, generation to generation it is happening in our culture. Moreover, it has a chain effect; the father who got enough interaction as a child will in turn interact with his own child (Johnson, 2008).

From this study, it is evident that fathers were not engaged them much on child daily caring and rearing activities or in domestic tasks. However when the researcher tried to find out the Obstacles that Prevent Fathers’ involvement in Early Years, then it was came out that fathers’ mind set, traditional beliefs and cultural influences as well as lack of knowledge are the key factors. It is remarkable that especially the mothers expressed the necessity of father involvement in child’s physical care but the fathers faced obstacle from the mother and extended family members, especially from the grandparents of the child for being involved. However, some mothers are anxious that their power position in the family will be under threat if they decide to involve fathers in child caring and rearing or believe their spouses are unskilled to take care of the children (Polatnick, 1973–1974). Conversely, in this study the parents were very much aware about their children’s development and well-being, but they have lack of knowledge on how to engage in child caring and rearing activities and also the true meaning of father engagement.

Our advantage is that we live in an age when the people are aware of their children’s’ development and well-being. We have to make the most use of this awareness. The policy makers, community leaders and religious leaders need to take step for ensuring father involvement. The benefits of fathers’ involvement towards children’s development and well-being should be disseminated through parenting programs. Hopefully this paper could be a worthy one to identify the parental perspectives of fathers’ involvement for children’s development & well-being in early years in Bangladesh and also by mitigating the factors the nation can ensure the father involvement.