The Hidden Benefits of Being an Involved Father (continued)

Did you know that children who grow up with non-resident fathers that stay very involved in their life...?

• tend to get higher grades than those without involved fathers.

• seem to have better social skills. They can make friends more easily and handle difficult social situations better.

• tend to have fewer behavioral problems. In fact, even when not living with their children and their children's mother, fathers who were actively involved with their children kept them from getting involved in problem behaviors as teens.

• have fewer mental health problems as adults (especially true for daughters).

Benefits for the Family

The family benefits from having an involved father. These benefits come from having loving and nurturing relationships among family members, not only between parents and children, but between a spouse, partner, or relative. Being involved in caring, not only for the child, but for the family can bring greater harmony and fewer arguments. The family tends to enjoy their time together more.

Did you know that involved fathering is related to... ?

• better communication between fathers and family members;

• a greater sense of commitment to the family;

• less troubling conflict with teenage children.

Benefits for Fathers

Finally, being an involved father brings benefits to dads themselves. When fathers build strong relationships with their children and others in the family, they receive support and caring in return. Research has shown that healthy family relationships provide the strongest and most important support network a person can have, whether that person is a child or an adult.

Being involved in their family members lives helps fathers to...

• enjoy a secure attachment relationship with their children.

• cope well with stressful situations and everyday hassles.

• feel as if they can depend on others more.

• feel more comfortable in their occupation and feel that they can do their job well.

• feel confident they have a lot to offer others in terms of their job skills, parenting skills, and social relationships.

The benefits listed above are really only a few of the major research findings from studies of families with involved and uninvolved fathers. Many of the benefits may seem obvious, but perhaps not all of them. If you look at your own involvement in your family, you might discover that you have been enjoying some of the benefits listed above without really noticing it. Sometimes being an involved parent takes hard work and setting priorities. Don't forget to stop and look around once in awhile to see all that you are getting in return.

References

Almeida, D. & Galambos, N. (1991). Examining father involvement and the quality of father-adolescent relations. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 1, 155-172.

Bernadett-Shapiro, S., Ehrensaft, D., & Shapiro, S. (1996). Father participation in childcare and the development of empathy in sons: An empirical study. Family Therapy, 23, 77-93.

Blum, R.W., Beuhring, T., Shew, M.L., Bearinger, L.H., Sieving, R.E., & Resnick, M.D. (2000). The effects of race/ethnicity, income, and family structure on adolescent risk behaviors. American Journal of Public Health, 90, 1879-1884.