Anyone can father a child, but being a dad takes a lifetime. Fathers play a role in every child’s life that cannot be filled by others. This role can have a large impact on a child and help shape him for a future.
Fathers and Emotional Development. Fathers, like mothers, are pillars in the development of a child’s emotional life. Children look to their fathers to lay down the rules. They also look to their fathers to provide a feeling of security, both physical, and emotional.
Children are proud of their fathers, and an involved father promotes inner growth and strength. Studies have shown that when fathers are affectionate and supportive, it greatly affects a child’s cognitive and social development. It also instills an overall sense of well-being and self confidence.
Fathers and Their Daughters. Young girls depend on their fathers for security and for their emotional support. A father shows his daughter what a good relationship with a man is like.
If a father is loving and gentle, his daughter will look for those qualities in men when she’s old enough to begin dating. If a father is strong and valiant, she also will relate closely to men of the same character.
Fathers and Their Sons. Unlike girls, who model their relationships with others based on their father’s character, boys model themselves after their father’s character.
Boys will seek approval from their fathers from a very young age. As human beings, we grow up by imitating the behavior of those around us; that’s how we learn to function in the world.
If a father is caring and treats people with respect, the young boy will grow up as the same. When a father is absent, young boys look to other male figures to set the “rules” for how to behave and survive in the world.