The engagement of fathers in the lives of their children has risen in the recent years. This form of engagement contributes to an improvement in the social, emotional, and cognitive development of kids. In the event of absent fathers, they lead to poor behavioral, educational, and developmental outcomes among kids leading to direct influences on behavior and indirect impacts mostly because of problems that exist in partner relationships, absence of social support, as well as a rise in maternal stress (Marriage.com, 2018) . When it comes to men who are unprepared for fatherhood, their level of involvement in their children’s lives deteriorates, encounter challenges when transitioning to parenthood, and their commitment to being fathers deteriorates. Whereas women are the ones that carry the children for nine months, the roles that fathers play is also particularly important. The role of fathers is equally vital in preparing for children, while various ways exist in which they can prepare themselves for fatherhood. During this vital rime, fathers need to keep their cool and ensure to try their best to offer support to their wives (Redshaw & Henderson, 2018) . Thus, the paper discusses the ways in which different kinds of fathers including first-time fathers (expecting first child), expectant fathers (already have children and expecting another), and fathers (already have children) are actively participating in the births of their children these days.
Interview
The interview targets three kinds of fathers first-time fathers (first participant), expectant fathers (second participant), and fathers (third participant), middle income (second participant), and high-income (third participant) backgrounds. The fathers are first-time father, expectant father, and father aged between 25 and 30 years. The targeted ages for the fathers are appropriate in that they are in they are starting to settle and establish their own families, while they have different kinds of viewpoints regarding fatherhood.
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First-Time Father
What are your feelings about becoming a father?
I feel that the father should take care of the wife and children together with all their medical requirements while at the same time ensuring to provide them with the physical and emotional support that they require (Feldman, 2016) .
How have you been involved in your partner’s pregnancy?
I have been involved in pregnancy my making sure to take part in all pregnancy procedures, such as ensuring that I engage in honest conversations regarding my concerns and discussing the manner in which our relationship would change once we got the baby.
What part will you play in your child’s birth?
I will take part in the birth of my child by making sure that I offer emotional and financial support when needed by both my wife and child.
What part would you like to play?
I would like to play the role of assisting in offering financial support as required by my family
What do you think being a “good father” means?
A good father should make sure that he gets hands on starting the beginning. Taking part in daily care of the child, including settling, dressing, bathing, playing, and changing nappy serves as the ideal way of establishing confidence and skills (Webmd, 2018) . These daily tasks allow the father to bond with the baby, which serves as a key building block of a solid relationship with the child.
How will having a child change your life?
Having a child will change my life in that I will feel emotionally withdrawn from the attention of my wife due to the significant attention that she directs to our child. I will start to notice whether I have feelings of hurt or anger while I will start experiencing feelings that remind me about my own childhood.
Expectant Father
What are your feelings about becoming a father?
Becoming a father requires that I gather comprehensive information regarding pregnancy and birth to assist in in gaining an idea concerning pregnancy basics as well as what to anticipate during labor and birth. Additionally, should take a paternity leave from my workplace to offer my wife and child full attention since they require my emotional and physical presence during this time.
How have you been involved in your partner’s pregnancy?
I have been involved with pregnancy by communicating after realizing that the issue raised concerns regarding finances due to increased responsibility associated with the health of the mother and the baby as well as how I would deal with the additional responsibilities.
What part will you play in your child’s birth?
I will make sure that I participate in the birth of my child by assisting the mother with the different household chores and offering emotional and physical support whenever needed (Blandford, 2015) .
What part would you like to play?
I would prefer offering financial and physical support to ensure that the child and mother realize overall improved wellbeing after birth of the kid
What do you think being a “good father” means?
A good father should emphasis on connecting with the child via touch. Physical touch allows a child to feel secure and safe in line with establishing connection and trust with the father. This form of bonding with newborns plays an essential role in stimulating brain development of the child.
How will having a child change your life?
Having a child will change my life in that I will become active in bonding and sharing with my baby and wife by taking part in the tremendous mystery of knowing myself and wife and our new roles as parents in line with familiarizing with the child (FathersForum, 2018) . I have started taking note of my own vulnerability due to the uncertainty of my new role and responsibility as a farther.
Father
What part did you play in the birth(s) of your child(ren)?
I ensured to take part in household chores since I understood that my wife was experiencing a transformational process that required support, rest, and tremendous level of understanding. I also made sure that she remained hygienic and healthy after giving birth.
What were your feelings about the birth(s) of your child(ren)?
I felt the need for being present emotionally as well as physically to assist in sharing the challenges that my wife would experience after giving birth.
What are the three biggest challenges you face as a father?
The challenge that I faced was one attributed to looking after myself. I lacked sufficient time for caring for myself optimally, particularly on areas related to diet, exercise, and sleep.
What do you think a “good father” is?
A good father ensures to lead by example, such as by illustrating the important role that affection plays through professing the love for his wife in the present of the children (Allprodad, 2018) . The father should also refrain from fighting with the mother while the children are watching, but should adhere to the values that he wishes the kids to follow.
How has having a child changed your life?
The key change of being a father emanates from my overgrowing desire for overworking while at the same time being tempted to have an affair or drink more in order to run away from the pain that I have had to face due to the change in the relationship that I have experienced with my wife.
What advice would you give a new father?
I would advise new fathers to make sure that they have some one-on-one time with the children. This creates instances when the baby has the overall attention of the father, which makes it possible to tune the baby, hence offering the two a chance to bond and connect.
Similarities and Differences
From the interview questions, various similarities and differences prevail among the participants. For instance, on the part that the participants played in the birth of their children, the key similarity that emerges ensuring that they focused on the health of their wives to ensure that they gave birth to healthy babies. Regarding the differences, the first respondent emphasized on accompanying the wife to various medical appointments the second respondent focused on gathering sufficient information pertaining to pregnancy and childbirth. In the event of the third participant, he mostly focused on assisting with household chores to ensure that the wife had more time of caring for the child.
On the feelings about the birth of the children, the key similarity revolved around the area of maintaining communication to foster physical and emotional bonds with the mother and the father, which was good for the overall wellbeing of the child. Differences also prevailed, such as where the first respondent made sure to participant in the distinct pregnancy procedures. The second respondent emphasized on communicating the different worries he had regarding pregnancy and childbirth while the third participant was concerned about the issue of remaining present emotionally and physically to share the childbirth challenges with the wife.
When it comes to the challenges that the fathers faced, the similarity prevailed in the area of balancing work pressure with the ones of taking care for the family. Nonetheless, concerning the differences, the first respondent emphasized on the growing demands of work, family, and expectations as the key challenging areas. The second participant emphasized on the challenges that pertained to the relationship issues due to issues such as sleep deprivation and work pressures, which shook the relationship with the wife. For the third respondent, the challenge entailed looking after himself appropriately after having the child.
Regarding the issue of a good father, the major similarity that prevailed among the participants revolved around the idea that fathers should show concern toward the welfare of their children. However, differences emerged regarding the viewpoints of the respondents about a good father. The first respondent argued that a good father needs to be open-minded by realizing times, people, and tastes usually change over time. The second participant revealed that a good father should ensure to spend quality time with his children. In the viewpoint of the third respondent, a good father should ensure to lead by example to make sure that children adopt positive behavior.
In the event of how having a child changed lives, the major similarity that prevailed among the participants was that having a child impacted their emotions mostly because of the growing desire for bonding and connecting with their kids. Nonetheless, differences also emerged. For instance, the first respondent argued that having a child led him to feel emotionally withdrawn from his wife. The second respondent was influenced when he felt the need for establishing close bonds and share with his wife and child. For the third respondent, the change he felt was one of rising desire for overworking because of the increased responsibilities and needs at home due to childbirth.
Concerning the advice that the respondents gave to new fathers, the key similarity prevailed on the area of connecting with the child and establishing bonds with them. Nevertheless, certain differences prevailed regarding the issue. For example, the first respondent advised that new fathers should make sure that they are involved in the birth of their children from the start. The second participant supported the need for fathers to connect with their children via touch. The third participant advocated on the need for new fathers to make sure that they have one-on-one time with their children in order to ensure that fathers can be able to bond and connect with their children. Overall, the participants in the study played an essential role in terms of demonstrating the manner in which first-time fathers relate with their children in the present society.
References
Allprodad. (2018). 10 ways to know you are being a good father. Retrieved from https://www.allprodad.com/10-ways-to-know-you-are-being-a-good-father/
Blandford, M. (2015). 4 challenges of being a new dad - and how to face them. Retrieved from http://www.essentialbaby.com.au/wellbeing/mind-and-body/4-challenges-of-being-a-new-dad--and-how-to-face-them-20151117-gl1dib
FathersForum. (2018). How having a baby changes a couple’s relationship. Retrieved from http://www.fathersforum.com/uncategorized/how-having-a-baby-changes-a-couples-relationship/
Feldman, R. (2016). Life span development: a topical approach. London: Pearson Education.
Marriage.com. (2018). The important role of fathers during pregnancy. Retrieved from https://www.marriage.com/advice/pregnancy/the-important-role-of-fathers-during-pregnancy/
Redshaw, M., & Henderson, J. (2018). Fathers’ engagement in pregnancy and childbirth: evidence from a national survey. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3607858/
Webmd. (2018). 10 tips for new dads. Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/ten-suggestions-for-new-dads
