Father-Infant Relationships
I find it interesting that there is a lot of information
about bonding and attachment that refers to the mother but there is just a
short little tidbit about father infant relationships. The paragraph describes
that fathers spend less time a day caring for the infant but that a bond does
form. They also talk about the way that fathers play with their children and
how they take a more active approach. They are more involved in physical play
than the mothers.
In my household I live with a young couple that have a ten
month old baby and they share the task of caring for the baby pretty evenly. I
do observe more physical play from the father; he becomes like a child himself.
Chasing her around, playing peek-a-boo from behind the couch, and dancing and singing
with her. Is this because mothers are more tired? Or motherhood brings a
seriousness that can’t allow mothers to play like children anymore?
These days the roles of parents are changing more and more. I’m
curious to know about bonding and non-traditional settings; including same sex
couples households, father only households, grandparent households etc. What is
the effect on children who don’t have fathers? Or who don’t engage in that kind
of play with adults at a young age?
I would like to know more about those households you mentioned below also. I was raised by my father until I was 10 and he passed and I also know of several other friends who were raised by their fathers and no mother present. People I always here saying how life can be so hard without a father and most of the time it's because of a dead beat dad as the expression goes but there are also many cases where the mom is a dead beat and for whatever reasons leave their children. Back to the subject I to would like to hear more about father and children attachments and bonds.
ReplyDeleteFather-infant attachments interest me as well. I would say you are probably more right about the fact that the mother is sleep-deprived so has less energy to actively play, then the idea that motherhood brings a seriousness that can't allow mothers to play like children anymore (although that may be the case for some mothers). Having a baby has definitely brought out the child in me. I am able to view the world through his fresh eyes, and it makes me appreciate the simpler things, and play with the best of them! I love that motherhood has resurrected my silly side.
ReplyDeleteI think it would also be interesting to me to know more about those different types of households. In my husband and stepsons life it was the opposite from them. My husband did most of the care taking because the mother was coming and going so much. I find our household is equal for the most part and is getting better except for when my husband had two jobs I was doing most of the care taking, meal planning, playing, school activities, sports etc. Which was very draining and then weekends He would do the care taking and playing with him and I would be working.
ReplyDeleteSuch a good point brought up about fathers! There have been some changing times in the last 20 years or so and it's really common now a days to see fathers just as involved as the mothers. It's very cool! The court system as well have started to acknowledge this, and have sided with fathers more and more. I think the all around realizing that the fathers too can parent the child, the responsibilities do not fall entirely to the mother. I think that the shift in views of father's playing a more active role in the raising of their kids and how crucial it actually is for kids to have healthy views of men in their own future. It amazes me how much baggage we carry from our upbringing! Well not really I mean that makes sense but sometimes you sit back and think why would someone think that's a normal thing to do? And you realize to them it probably was normal in their upbringing. Off point a little but I think the shift we are seeing in each generation of dad's being in co-parenting relationships with their spouses is just awesome and makes for a much more rounded child than less unfortunate kids are offered in the parent department. There should be a more significant section dedicated to the essential role father's play in the lives of kids for sure. Plus how interesting would that be to read up on!!!
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