The challenge of ensuring ample success of children in educational settings perhaps calls for ensuring richness in childcare. Following its research on the extent to which fathers involve themselves in the development of education of their children, Eric Development Team reveals how “Half of students mostly get A’s and enjoy school…when their fathers involve themselves in their schools compared to about one-third of students when their fathers have low levels of involvement” (2000, p.3). Female and male parents have different contributions towards the success of their children in education; father’s roles being equally significant as that played by mothers.
National Child Care Information and Technical Assistance argue that “Fathers who have positive relationships with their children can have positive effects on their social, cognitive, and academic achievement and their behavior” (2010, Para 3). Somewhat congruent with Eric Development Team’s findings, National Child Care Information and Technical Assistance confirms how children, borne of fathers who are active in educational matters of their children, do better in school.
These children get better grades, and have low probabilities of being victims of expulsions or rather repeat grades. Scholarly research reveals that involvement of fathers in parenting has a significant effect in fostering positive altitude development in kids (Hamner & Turner, 2001, p.23). Education process more often involves the development of new knowledge. Therefore, building on this new knowledge, positive altitude goes a long way in ensuring the realization of dreams involving exploitation of virgin lands. Male and female parents have different ways of parenting styles, all of which are subtle for the educational success. Consequently, children growing under the nurture of both parents stand better gains in terms of success in education.
Despite the high beliefs that father’s play proactive role in ensuring the success of their children in academics, there exists a number of barriers towards establish a central position for fathers to involve themselves with this noble role. Some fathers may lack ample knowledge about the immense changes that they can make towards ensuring success of their kids in education. As National Child Care Information and Technical Assistance voices it out, “The attitudes and personal beliefs toward the father’s involvement…in the child’s life” (2010, Para 10) may also act as a major impediment. Additionally, old-fashioned societal expectations coupled with mixed cultural anticipations about the divisions of roles embraced by parents of different gender also deter the involvements of fathers in education.
In the light of existence of some of the mentioned barriers, an impeccable way to resolve them is perhaps the enactment of ways that help to curtail the barriers. One of such ways is the increment of support that encourages fathers to participate in fostering educational development of their kids. As a way of heeding to this call, as voiced by the National Child Care Information and Technical Assistance, “Federal and national organizations have developed and/or funded programs and initiatives that support and reflect the critical role that fathers play in building strong, successful families and the well-being of children” (2010, Para 4).
These organizations and programs substantially concentrate on engaging fathers in childcare, involvements in education, and or according any other necessary support during the development process. The National Child Care Information and Technical Assistance reveals other programs that “focus on strengthening parenting skills by encouraging fathers to participate in a relationship or parenting classes, or focusing on the individual needs of fathers by providing job training opportunities and/or sponsoring fatherhood workshops or discussion groups” (2010, Para 5). With increased participation of fathers in nurturing their kids academically, it is more likely that children would embrace the fathers parenting style, which is distinct from the mother’s style. The involvement will automatically result to the improvement of children’s performance in schools especially in mathematics and verbal skills.
Reference List
Eric Development Team. (2000). Father Involvement in schools. Web.
Hamner, T., & Turner, P. (2001). Parenting in contemporary society. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Print.
National Child Care Information and Technical Assistance. (2010). Fathers Involvement in Children’s Education, Care and Support. Web.