As Fathers’ Day approaches and we prepare to celebrate, we start to think about what our fathers have done for us. Many people often view mothers as being the more important parent when it comes to child raising. When people think of a nurturing parent, the image that comes to mind is usually one of a mother. However, active fathers play an integral part in their child’s development as well!
How do fathers affect children in school?
Fathers who are actively involved in their children’s upbringing can have a huge impact on their child’s lives. Studies have shown that students who have an actively involved father:
Do better in schools
Achieving better grades
Are less likely to get suspended
as compared to children in a household without an actively involved dad. Children are also more likely to be well behaved in class, showing how support and encouragement from Dad can go a long way!
Tip for Dads: Just setting aside half an hour a day to help your child with homework or to talk about their day can do wonders for your child! They’ll feel your love and support, and be motivated to do well in school.
How do fathers affect children growing up?
When children have a stronger bond with their father, it can also have a visible effect on them as they grow up. These children are:
Less likely to display high-risk behaviour
More likely to have high paying jobs
More likely to have a stable family when they grow up
With a father figure being there for them as they learn and grow, children are more likely to do well in the future!
Tip for Dads: Be there for your child’s milestone achievements, such as attending their graduation, or being part of the crowd when they take part in competitions. This shows your child that you’re there for them whenever they take a big step in their lives!
Dads are often seen as the breadwinner of the household, where their sole role is to go out and make a living to support their family. However, the role of the father is far more than that. Fathers should also engage actively with their children and make time to spend with them! Children who do well often have more engaged and caring fathers, and those fathers also act as good role models when those children have their own children in the future.
Raising a child is not only the job of a mother, but also that of a father. Active fathers are so very important in a child’s life, and their role should never be ignored.
Dads For Life
Have you heard of the Dads For Life campaign? It's a campaign launched by the Centre for Fathering that seeks to inspire, mobilize and involve fathers to become good influences in their children’s lives - for life! It has launched initiatives to encourage fathers to spend more time with their families as well as promote active fathering. Such initiatives include:
Dads@School, which reaches out to dads of children in school to encourage their involvement in their child’s school as well as help them grow their relationship with their child
Back to School with Dad, which gets Dads to show their love for their child through the simple act of sending them to school as well as getting them to help out with any back to school issues
Interested in the Dads for Life campaign? Click here to find out more!
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