What do fathers bring to parenting that is unique? Is a poor father better than no father? How do fathers inspire their kids to achieve? What do single parents have to do to replace the energy not present in the household? What do men have to do to be better fathers?
With Father’s day around the corner, it is appropriate to pay attention to the important role fathers play in raising children and how male energy benefits the child development process. When half of all American school children do not live in a home in which their father is present, there is an urgent need to explore, illuminate, acknowledge and strengthen the diminished image of fatherhood.
Starting with a discussion of gender differences sparked by the media controversy over parents raising a child without giving the child a specific gender identity, we discuss how gender norms are shaped both by biology and culture. Research has taught us that beyond the obvious differences, the male brain is wired differently than the female brain and these differences have a profound effect on how we approach relationships and make decisions. We continue the discussion with an explanation of why a father’s presence is often the only thing that keeps many kids from falling victim to juvenile crime, teen pregnancy, drug abuse and dropping out of school.
We’ll discuss the important questions above and talk about why fathers tend to be more physical in their play behavior with their kids and why that’s good. Finally, we conclude with our personal anecdotes of our experience with fathering