In today’s busy and fast moving economy, society has made tremendous changes in family dynamics. The roles of both mother and father are becoming equal and non-traditional. Fathers who are single parents and considered custodial caretakers are raising not just boys - but also girls overwhelmingly. These single fathers are raising 2.5 million children in the United States of America.

Fathers are now playing very critical and significant roles in child development and must become more involved and invested in quality nurturing time and aware of age appropriate behaviors. A father's pivotal and essential teaching and structured experiences will stay with his child for a lifetime and will surely determine his child's values and outlook for the future. Below are some suggestions and reasons why fathers should be involved in their children's lives:

Let’s a child know you love him.

Children who feel loved are more likely to develop a strong emotional bond with their father and a healthy self-esteem. Fathers who love their children demonstrate their love by spending quantity time together.

Provides your child with necessary emotional support.

Active fathers listen and support their children when they experience joy, sadness, anger, fear and frustration.

Enhances a child’s self-esteem.

Active fathers promote their children’s self-esteem by being fully involved in their lives and letting them know that they are highly valued.

Provides guidance and discipline.

From infancy, children need appropriate guidance and discipline.

Heightens your child’s intellectual development.

Children who are raised with actively involved fathers tend to score higher on measures of verbal and mathematical ability, and also demonstrate greater problem solving and social skills.

Provides your child with someone to talk to when she has questions.

Children's natural, curious minds help them learn about their environment. When presented with questions, fathers can provide their children with valuable insight and information and also take time to talk about everyday life.

Gives your child someone to play with.

According to researchers, there are qualitative differences in the way fathers and mothers play with their children.

Facilitates your child’s moral development.

Fathers, like mothers, help children to develop a sense of right and wrong that serves as a foundation for establishing moral character.

Helps children learn about the importance of life skills.

Fathers have a unique opportunity to teach their children valuable skills that will enable them to grow up to be healthy and productive adults.

Lowers your child’s chances for school failure and adult criminality.

Children with actively involved fathers are less likely to drop out of school or commit crimes as adults when raised with an active, caring and involved father.

References:
Pew Research Center

US Census Bureau

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service: 20 Reasons Why Your Child Needs You to Be an Active Father
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