[Richard YiapMember]

What is the Role of a Father today?

Its likely that there is no one set role as there is so much change and blending of past traditional roles that there is a diversity of what works for people. Individual circumstances would establish specific patterns in a role. Here are some situations with different roles of becoming a father :

Situation Roles

1. At home, married with children Provider (if main bread winner),

2. Sole parent with childen Provider, carer, disciplinarian,

3. Separated with part time contact, co parenting Friend, mentor, play buddy, chauffeur,

4. Separated with no contact

The transition

The Role of a Father would shift as the children grow through the different ages and stages.

Hence men need to be able to transition a number of roles.

To do this well requires a wealth of knowledge and wisdom. Few are equipped to do this across the breadth of areas. There is little out there to help men in this regard. One does not get to learn about the skills required to fulfill the range of above roles through the usual passages of childhood to adulthood in the home, school, uni and work

Fathers all do the best they know how with what they have got. My father did and I am grateful for his life. There was plenty that I wished he were not or did not but he loved me deeply and always expressed that. At the end of the day, what happened is the expression of life experiences in our lives and embracing all of it with gratitude is edifying for the soul and promotes personal growth. Fathers and sons.

Bottom line

The bottom line is that all Families Need Fathers and they are vitally important in the lives of their children. Any contact is better than none and the greatest gift a father can give his children is his time and being fully present.

[MartinKeymaster]

I’d certainly add love to time and being present, Richard. Interestingly enough, I believe many Dads discount this emotion i.e. they’re happy to give time and interest however never really investigate whether that is really translating into love for the child.

Kids have always been much more highly tuned in to love than adults – intuitive. And parents sometimes forego love and opt out to replace it with the easy materialistic items they can buy from their wallet.

Nice article – makes us all think of where we are at and where we need to be moving forward to.

[Author]

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