Role of the father

• The role of the father has traditionally been seen as less important than mothers. They have been viewed as playmates rather than primary caregivers. However, with more mothers now in employment, more males are caring for children while their wives are out to work. Furthermore, 10% of single parents in Britain are male.
• Research has shown that fathers can take on a maternal role and are able to be the primary attachment figure. They were the primary attachment 3% of the time and about 27% were the joint.
• Research has also shown that fathers develop sensitive responsiveness if they become the primary caregiver. This has been shown to provide emotional and social benefits for children such as better peer relationships, less problem behaviours and better emotional regulation.
• Tiffany Fields

  • filmed 4 month old babies in face to face interaction with primary caregiver mothers, secondary caregiver father and primary caregiver fathers
  • primary caregiver fathers like mothers, spent more time smiling, imitating and holding infants that secondary caregiver fathers
  • shows that level of responsiveness is more important than gender of the parent
• A difference in parenting style between mothers and fathers is that fathers are more likely to encourage toddlers to take risks and to be brave during physical play than mothers. This can also have benefits for later development. However, some research has shown that fathers are less able than mothers to detect low levels of infant distress. Overall, its the quality of interaction the father has rather than the quantity that is important.
• It is hard to offer a simple answer to define the role of the father. It depends on researcher and whether they are focusing on father as primary or secondary attachment figure. IF focus is on father as primary attachment, then the answer from research is that they can be emotion focused. BUT if it is on a secondary role then their role is distincy from the mothers.
• The question as to whether fathers have a distinct role is unanswered. If they did, it would be expected that children who grow up in one parent families will be largely different to those that live in heterosexual two parent families. BUT studies show that there is no different.

  Despite this, it may mean that father's role is distinct in 2 parent heterosexual families but in single parent/lesbian families, they may adapt to not having a father, and the role of the father may be take on by one of the parents.
• The research has value.

  It can be used to give advice to parents and they can be reassured that either mum or dad can take on the role of the primary caregiver if needed.

  It can relieve worries around pressure to go to work or stay home knowing that either parent can provide emotional support needed by a child.

  AND single parent/lesbian families can be informed that not having a father around will not disrupt children's development.

  THUS parental anxiety about the role of the father is reduced.