JOURNAL - International Childbirth Education Association

Parenting: Examining the Father
by Celestine West and Marcella A. Hart
P
(American Heritage Dictionary of English
Language 1992). Parenting is a dynamic
and learned process that involves not only
individuals but family units and society.
Parenting ranks as one of the most im-
portant functions in society and is the primary domain
of families. Paternal role attainment and father-infant attachment
have received less attention than maternal role
attainment and mother-infant attachment. The purpose
of this paper is to discuss parenting by examining fathers
in relation to parenting role attainment, attachment, and
style of parenting.
The father contains a man’s internalized conception of
his parenting role identity. This conceptualization includes
culturally defined behavior and individual variation of
that behavior. How fathers define their role influences
their behavior and thus the way they interact with their
children. Most fathers do not take as active a role in the
parenting process as most mothers, but the gap between
men’s and women’s participation in child rearing appears
to be shrinking. (Woodwork, Belsky, and Crnic 1996).
The divorce rate and the emergence of more and more
women in the work force contributes to this trend.
Harris and Morgan (1991) described what has been
termed the “new father” as one who has moved beyond
the traditional role of breadwinner and disciplinarian
and now shares more equally in all aspects of parenting.
The traditional role for the father is that of breadwinner.
This role identifies some of the paternal responsibilities
for training and discipline but does not stress the close
or compassionate side of the father-child relationship. An
alternative role includes a more nurturant and expressive
behavior. Minton and Pasley (1996) concluded that fathers
have the potential to be as significant to children and as
arenting is defined
as the rearing
of a child or children,
especially providing
the care, love, and
guidance by a parent,
the father, mother, or
person who stands in
“loco parentis” (when
not the natural parent)
A
competent in caregiving as mothers. However, they found
that fathers interacted less frequently, engaged in different
types of interaction, were less involved in caregiving,
were more involved in play, and displayed less affection
to their children. Harris and Morgan (1991) viewed behavior
as partially determined by group membership that
identified a set of norms and parallel sanctions. Within
a given society, the degree of conformity to norms can
vary. Contemporary American norms encourage paternal
involvement, but there is not a single model which fathers
should follow. The only formal training that fathers receive
is from the way that they were parented.
Attachment to the child and nurturance from the
parent are critical to successful parenting. The child with
a nurturant, accepting, and accessible father and mother
is likely to develop a strong sense of self-worth in conjunction
with solid intellectual social skills (Biller 1993).
Attachment according to Greenberg (1997) is one of
the century’s most enduring theories of human development.
Most young babies become attached to their
mothers because they are usually around. However, infants
are capable of forming multiple attachments, and it is
essential that parents respond sensitively to their child’s
needs to eat, play, feel safe, and be left alone. Parents who
are responsive to these needs are likely to build strong,
nurturing relationships. The sense that love is returned,
they are valued, and they can count on their mother and
father is secure attachment (Greenberg 1997).
continued on page 19
18 • IJCE Vol. 13 No. 4