The Hidden benefits of Being an Involved Father

Most people can agree that having an involved father has obvious benefits to children. Before you think - "wait a minute, what about mothers?" - tell yourself that it's not question of who is more important: mothers or fathers. The point is that having both parents involved in rearing their child hassome obvious, and some maybe not-so-obvious, benefits for the child, the family, and for fathers themselves.

Benefit for Children
Researchers have been studying this issue for decades. For instance, did you know that ...?

- Children whose fathers are involved in rearing them score higher on cognitive tests (they seem smarter) than those with relative uninvolved fathers.
- A father's involvement in children's school activities protects at-risk children from failing or dropping out.
- Father involvement is associate with positive child characteristics such as empathy, self-esteem, self-control, psychological well-being, social competence, and life skills.

Benefits for the Family
These benefits come from having loving and nurturing relationshops among family members, not only between parents and children, but between a spouse, partner, or relative. Did you know theat involved fathering is related to ...?

- Better communication between fathers and family members;
- A greater sense of commitment to the family;
- Less troubling conflict with teenage children.

Benefits for the Fathers
Finally, being an involved father brings benefits to dads themselves. When fathers build strong relationships with their children and others in the family, they receive support and caring in return. Research has shown that healthy family relationshops provide the strongest and most important support network a person can have, whether that person is a child or an adult.

Being involved in their family members' lives helps fathers to ...
- Enjoy a secure attachement relationship with their children.
- Cope well with stressful situations and everyday hassles.
- Feel more comfortable in their occupation and feel that they can do their job well.

The benefits listed above are really only a few of the major research findings from studies of families with involved and uninvolved fathers. Many of the benefits may seem obvious, but perhaps not all of them. If you look at your own involvement in your family, you might discover that you have been enjoying some of the benefits listed above without really noticing it. Sometimes being an involved parent takes hard work and setting priorities. Don't forget to stop and look around once in a awhile to see all that you are getting in return.

Article written by Garret D. Evans Kate Fogarty
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