The Role of the Father in Parenting - Essay Example

It is normal that one of the first things that humans come to recognize in life is maternal love. But it is equally true that the familial environment within which the child grows significantly influences his physical and emotional well-being.

Parenting and motherhood are intrinsically linked. Motherhood is the most rewarding role of women that they experience at a different level of their life stage. The dynamics of motherhood is complex but its rewards vis-à-vis the development of their children into a responsible and lovable person are highly cherished. Indeed the role of the mother is paramount to the welfare of the children and lays the foundation of their character and value system which is reflected in their persona as an adult.

At the same time, the role of the father in parenting cannot be discounted or reduced. It is the collective effort of the parents that gives a balance to the development processes of the child into a responsible adult. The challenge of bringing up a child is a continuous learning process with both the parents having a significant role in the life of their children. While the father primarily provides the stability, discipline, and a sense of security, the mother provides tender loving care. The joint efforts of the parents help the children to develop into happy and caring adults.

Maternal bonding is more visible than paternal bonding mainly because while the father goes out to earn money, the mother nurtures the growing needs of the children at home. Mother not only spends more quality time with her children but she also becomes the major influence in her children’s lives and hence the common belief that parenting is more about maternal bonding. Father, on the other hand, helps inculcate discipline in their lives and ensures financial, material, and emotional support to make their life stress-free and happy.

Love and caring is very strong factor in the development of the personalities and character of the child. In an environment of loving care and security, children develop into healthy and happy adults. One can, therefore, conclude that parenting is a joint effort of both parents that may be considerably impacted by maternal bonding. Both the parents have the most important task of providing that environment that would not only promote good behavior but also help inculcate values that would stand by their children in the hour of their need.