The responsibility of fathers has been a major discussion for ages. Why? A father figure can significantly influence the life and well-being of a child. A father is an anchor upon which his children stand. In families where the father figure is present, the father serves as one of the first male role models and male relationships the child will encounter. Children are extremely sensitive and observant beings and internalize relational experiences
Fathers play many roles in parenting their children. Some are involved in every facet of their child’s life, while others concentrate on one or two aspects of raising their child. Through almost every studied culture, fathers have assumed three primary responsibilities: the protector, the provider, and the disciplinarian. However, there are 4 more responsibilities that will be discussed on this page.
Tupac once said “But I know for a fact that had I had a father, I’d have some discipline. I’d have more confidence. Your mother cannot calm you down the way a man can. Your mother can’t reassure you the way a man can. My mother couldn’t show me where my manhood was. You need a man to teach you how to be a man.”
Here are the top 10 responsibilities of a father
Be a Provider:
One important responsibility of a father is providing; children consider their father to be the main provider of all materialistic items. Although in this dispensation, fathers are no longer the sole provider, it still is an important role that fathers fulfil in their families. As the role of provider, a father’s ability to provide for his family is related to his sense of duty, his sense of identity, and his manhood. Different cultures have different messages about what it means to be a man, a husband, and a father. Many of those cultures see that one of the father’s primary roles is that of a provider.
A Protector:
One of the most important responsibilities of a father is that they protect their children from dangers inside the household. They can also protect their children from external dangers. This is especially important in communities where there are higher levels of violence, where there is a potential for the child to be exposed to gang activity or crime. Father’s traditional emphasis is that he wants to protect his child from getting hurt by forces from the outside world (e.g., bullies, strangers, mean dogs, accidents, disease). He never wants this to happen to her child.
Disciplinarian:
Discipline is a paternal instinct; the responsibility of a father. In preparing their child for the future, fathers often have high expectations. They want their child to succeed, to see what’s on the horizon, to aspire to bigger and better things. As such, fathers need to be there to teach their children how to handle their impulses, how to stay calm under stress, and how to deal with situations where they don’t endanger themselves or endanger others.
Playmate:
Play and companionship are important responsibilities of a father; a dominant paternal activity. Fathers should engage their children via commonly played hide-and-seek, marbles, cricket, and toys. Fathers’ play with their children is primarily a way to express love and make them happy. Playing provided an opportunity for children to learn and engage physically, which is considered beneficial for children’s early development.
Teacher:
Another important responsibility of a father is teaching. A child’s education is not the responsibility of the school or the church. Those are just supplements. Kids only spend about 10 per cent of their childhood hours at school,* meaning they are learning from you 90 per cent of the time. It is primarily the job of a father to “Train up a child in the way he should go,” so that “even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
And as their father, you are obligated to teach them responsibility. They need to be responsible for themselves first. And where do you ‘come in’ in this situation? Well, you are their parent and, that makes it your responsibility to teach them.
Role Model:
One of the most downplayed responsibilities of a father is Role Model. Fathers are children’s first role model; whether good or bad. Children, despite sometimes saying they don’t like you or getting into a fight with you, often tend to imitate their parents. So what you do in your everyday life and interactions with them is a very important facet of your child’s growth that you have to take good care of.
Your responsibility as a father is to show them to have a cool head in stressful situations, how to stand up for themselves, and how to treat others with respect, among other things. It will have a positive impact on your child and is very crucial in directing their further growth.
Communicate:
As parents, fathers have a unique opportunity to shape the lives of their children. Numerous factors contribute to a child’s growth and development; however, among the most important are the daily interactions that take place between a father and child. Communication processes lie at the heart of these daily interactions. Fathers, husbands, and men, in general, are often portrayed as not being good communicators, yet it is obvious that fathers are capable of communicating effectively with their children. Being an effective communicator, especially with young children, requires patience, understanding, and practice.
Unconditional Love:
Another top responsibility of a father is to make sure that their children know how much their fathers love them and they love them without any condition. Fathers must not encourage their children in doing things wrong but they must shower their love for their children without going into any condition.
Yes, fathers should make sure that their children know that they are loved. Please don’t confuse this with permissiveness. Unconditional love does nothing to encourage the wrong kind of behaviour. In fact, kids who are secure in their father’s love tend to act out less, not more.
Availability:
Anyone can father a child, but being a dad takes a lifetime. Availability is one of the Fathers’ responsibilities in every child’s life that cannot be filled by others. Children always appreciate when they find their father spending quality time for them. The quality of time that a father spends with the child is much more important than the quantity of time spent with the child.
Formal Education:
One of the top 10 responsibilities of a father is to be involved in their studies. When fathers are involved in the lives of their children, especially their education, children learn more, perform better in school, and exhibit healthier behaviour. Even if you do not share a home with your kids, your active involvement in your child’s education can have a lasting and positive impact. Research shows that when fathers are engaged in children’s education, student grades and test scores improve, attendance increases, and students are more involved in school activities