Redefining and Supporting Fatherhood

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The role of the father began to be reexamined in the 1970s, along with other issues in our society. Michael Lamb wrote the following in the second edition of The Role of the Father in Child Development, (1981) "since the first edition was published in 1976, the paternal role has elicited a great deal of attention from both theorists and researchers...so great that it has been necessary to prepare a revision." In Europe and America since 1970, there has been increased involvement of fathers in the direct care of their children, according to Barry Hewlett (1992).

A new "ideal" role for fathers has been emerging both in developed and developing countries. It encourages the father to:

1. be present at the birth of his children;
2. have close relationships with his children;
3. cooperate with his partner, sharing in child care and household tasks.

The ideal role is not necessarily the actual behavior of the majority. How fathers define their role is influenced by the expectations of those in their personal network and in their culture (LeVine, 1999). Does the mother want the father to be more involved with their baby or the household chores and if so, does she want an assistant or an equal partner in deciding how the task is to be done? Do the healthcare providers expect the father to be present at birthing classes or prenatal doctor appointments?

Men often lack the support they need to be more nurturing or involved. Many times they feel that their job limits their participation in family responsibilities, such as parent-teacher conferences. Businesses traditionally are more supportive of mothers, in their schedules for child rearing, than for fathers. Whatever the reasons, many noncustodial fathers are spending little time with their children.

Support for Fathers

In a move to support the family, the federal government, through the Department of Health and Human Services, focused on the needs of fathers. The Fatherhood Initiative emerged in June 1995. This directive, issued by former President Clinton, requested that every government agency recognize and support the role of fathers. Three of the project's guidelines for developing specific activities or services are:

1. Men should receive the education and support necessary to prepare them for parental responsibilities.
2. Parents are partners even if they are not living in the same household.
3. Government can encourage and promote safe father involvement through its own programs and its workforce policies (U.s. Department of Health and Human Services, 2000).

The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics is responsible for the publication, Nurturing Fatherhood: Improving Data and Research on Male Fertility, Family Formation, and Fatherhood (1998). This informative publication represents the efforts of more than a hundred researchers, policy analysts, and public officials. It is also available on line at http://www.fatherhood.hhs.gov/