It was not only traditional in past decades for mothers to be the main, and sometimes only, caretaker of the children while fathers played a breadwinner role. The belief was that only women could take proper care of children and that men were incapable of nurturing.
Time and research have shown these assumptions to be false. Florida law reflects the reality that children benefit from the involvement of two parents, favoring equal timesharing when a couple splits up. Children whose fathers take an active role in their upbringing even when divorced or separated from their other parent can reap specific benefits.
1. More accepting attitudes
Children with involved fathers are often more sensitive to and accepting of people who are different from them. They are less likely to stereotype others, especially on the basis of gender, and more likely to accept flexibility in the roles that men and women play in relationships.
2. Better academic performance
Studies show that a father’s vocabulary is one of the strongest predictors of a child’s language competence. Men are unlikely to finish a child’s sentence, forcing the child to articulate his or her wishes, and often do not make as many modifications to their speech while talking to kids.
A father’s influence on his children’s academic performance extends beyond language acquisition although this is an important predictor. His involvement in his children’s lives can still help them succeed in school because it encourages self-efficacy and optimism. This is true even if the father has little education or English fluency himself.
3. More occupational stability
A father’s involvement in his children’s lives continues to help them succeed as adults. Involved fathers help children learn how to regulate their emotions and solve problems. People who lack these skills are more likely to leave their jobs, while people who have them are more likely to stay longer.
4. Fewer risky behaviors
Rates of teen pregnancy and juvenile delinquency are much lower in children who have involved fathers than those who do not. Young people who feel valued by both parents do not feel the need to look elsewhere for love and are therefore more likely to delay sexual activity. Mothers and fathers tend to have different discipline styles, with fathers emphasizing real-world consequences. Children faced with difficult choices benefit from both perspectives.