Fathers' Perceptions of Children's Influence: Implications for Involvement

• Published in: The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science Vol. 624; no. 1; pp. 61 - 77
• Main Authors: Daly, Kerry J., Ashbourne, Lynda, Brown, Jaime Lee
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA Sage Publications 01.07.2009; SAGE Publications; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Canada; Child development; Childrearing practices; Children; Collaboration; Expectations; Family relations; Family roles; Father-child relations; Fatherhood; Fathering; Fathers; Identity; Influence; Men; Parent Child Relations; Parental Attitudes; Parenting; Parents & parenting; Perceptions; Qualitative research; Separated status; Uncertainty; Values; Well Being; Workplaces; Canada; qualitative; fathers' development; children's influence; community-based research
• ISSN: 0002-7162; 1552-3349
• DOI: 10.1177/0002716209334695

In this article, the authors report on a qualitative analysis of how a diverse sample of fathers perceives the influence of their own children on their identity and development. The data were collected within a large partnership-based, multiyear, multisite research project carried out in Canada as a community-university collaboration. Specifically, the data were collected from interviews with 215 fathers across seven cluster sites in Canada. Fathers perceived that children influenced their orientation toward self and other, values and expectations, time, and relationship with their parenting partner. The analysis of how fathers learn from their children resulted in a focus on learning on the spot and contending with uncertainty. The article concludes with a discussion of policy implications on how to support the well-being of fathers through the learning that they have with their children.