Group Proposal: Fathers Are Less Likely To Spend Time with Children Aged Between 6 Months and 4 Years

Purpose and Objectives 

Studies show that a father’s involvement in a child’s life has positive effects on the child. Most fathers fail to engage actively with their children, especially during the early years. Moreover, although both parents contribute to their children's growth, development, and wellbeing, most studies tend to focus exclusively on the mother-child relationship. This discussion seeks to help fathers with children aged between 6 months and four years to spend quality time with their children. It focuses on using a therapeutic group to achieve this objective and help children form attachment with their fathers. 

Rationale for the Proposed Group 

Demographic, social, cultural, and economic changes witnessed in the last century have transformed gender roles in the family institution, implying that both parents should take an active part in their children's upbringing. This discussion seeks to use a therapeutic dad group to investigate why most fathers are less likely to spend time with their children. This group is relevant because it creates awareness of the role that fathers play in their children's lives and informs how fathers can participate actively in their young ones' lives. 

Although a father's presence is significant in a child's life, most fathers are still absent in the lives of their children, affecting attachment between them. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that fathers in the current generation seem to be more involved in the lives of their young ones than those of previous generations (McMunn, Martin, & Kelly, 2015) . Previous generations witnessed the complete absence of fathers. 

Why Fathers Are Less Likely To Spend Time with Their Children 

Fathers are less likely to spend time with their children because of various factors. First, most cultures require fathers to provide economically for households, limiting their time at home. This therapeutic group will help counsellors understand how cultures contribute to fathers spending less time with their children. McMunn, Martin, and Kelly (2015) argue that most societal norms still identify fathers as the primary providers, with mothers as the key caregivers. Genadek and Hill (2017) agree with the view by mentioning that most fathers find it challenging to create a balance between their work duties and spending time with their children. Moreover, the therapeutic group will also explain how competing pressures in the current economy prompt some fathers to work throughout, reducing the time they spend with their families. 

Second, most social norms continue to assume that fathers do not take part in proactive parenting. The social role theory seems to explain this phenomenon by arguing that societal characteristics of gendered labor division contribute to gender stereotypes (Park & Banchefsky, 2018) . The theory associates the social roles of mothers with women but fails to connect the father’s role to men, implying that the mother is more linked with parenting than the father. The dad group is relevant because it will explain how the provision role of fathers limits the time they spend with their children. 

Third, some social and demographic transformations, such as changes in family structures, contribute to fathers spending less time with their children. For instance, currently, it is common to see children with unwed mothers, resulting in non-resident fathers. The proposed group will explain how non-resident fathers may have no time or spend less time with their children. Furthermore, most family structures fail to recognize fathers' contribution to the development, growth, and welfare of infants and toddlers. 

Why the Fathers Have Challenges Forming Attachment with Their Children 

Attachment theory seeks to explain the functioning of an early parent-child relationship. Adaptive trends of parent-child contact in early years, such as between six months and four years, contribute to secure relations between caregivers and children. According to Bowlby (1958), children in such relationships consider their caregivers as secure bases. However, this attachment role seems to be reserved entirely for mothers. This assumption seems to affect the child-father relationship, making it difficult for fathers to form an attachment with their children. 

Father-Child Attachment between Six Months and Two Years. At six months, children know familiar faces and recognize strangers. At this stage, non-resident fathers may have challenges forming attachment with their children because it is a point where children learn how to respond to emotions. By twelve months, they prefer certain people, especially familiar people, and imitate actions to attract their parents’ attention. By two, they try activities with familiar individuals. Limited interaction period between fathers and children at this stage makes children consider their fathers as strangers, hence avoid interacting with them. 

Father-Child Attachment between Two and Half Years and Four Years. Children appear more independent at two and half years, show concern, and extend affection for other people around them. By four years, they have their likes and dislikes, become more innovative, and seek new experiences. They are likely to attract the attention of their key caregivers at this stage, implying that they are likely to secure relationships with fathers who spend significant time with them (Brown, Mangelsdorf, & Neff, 2012) . This aspect hinders the father-child relationship, making it difficult for fathers to form an attachment with their children 

Objectives for the Proposed Group 

The proposed members hope to understand factors that make fathers spend less time with their children. As stated above, cultural beliefs, social norms, and demographic changes contribute to fathers spending less time with their young ones. The objective of this group is to ensure that the fathers understand the stated factors by the end of the therapeutic group intervention. These members also seek to understand issues that affect their father-child attachment process. 

Group Structure and Setting 

Group Length, Meeting Time, and Size 

The therapeutic group will comprise 70 father-child dyads, with an equal number of boys and girls. The members will be meeting weekly on Saturdays between one and three in the afternoon for nine weeks. The meeting time will be convenient to all members since most of them are engaged with work and business responsibilities during weekdays. 

Membership and Screening 

Counsellors will recruit members through flyers at retail outlets and community centers. Fifty of the fathers will be married to their children’s mothers. They intend to screen them through a screening interview, which will include questions regarding their individual objectives of the group intervention, influence of relationship history and family structure on their objectives, their participation in groups. This process will also help counselors ascertain whether selected members will be comfortable discussing this issue. 

Physical Setting 

The physical setting will be flexible. Counsellors will use two pairs of father-child during the first three weeks, ten pairs the next three weeks, and finally the whole group in the last three weeks. This setting will help observe member behaviors and exchanges. 

Group Process 

Counsellors will use psychoeducational group intervention. This intervention will be appropriate because it works best with groups that combine parents and children (Berge, Law, Johnson, & Wells, 2010) . The modified interactional group process theory will be suitable in this case because it applies to psychoeducational groups. This theory will also allow members to assess relational issues with limited emotional contagion. Moreover, it will create a safe environment for all members to air their views. 

Group Approach 

Counsellors will use the process-sensitive group approach to utilize the energies of all participants to help individual members create opportunities for change. This approach will help the proposed members understand themselves and provide them with information on the effects of their behaviors on others. For instance, the impact of absent fathers on the development and wellbeing of their children. 

Advantages and Limitations. Advantages of this therapeutic group include increased motivation for change, opportunity to share similar experiences, clear objectives, improved knowledge, and social relationships through face-to-face interactions. However, the group will be limited because of the absence of practical learning. The setting and approach do not include elements of practical learning. 

Techniques and Learning Activities. The techniques and learning activities will include installing hope. When fathers with attachment issues with their children come together, they get opportunities to witness transformations in other father-child relationships. When members celebrate these changes, it gives them hope, encouraging them to implement factors that promote father-child relations. The other technique will be information exchange to encourage members to attend subsequent sessions and learn more. 

Ethics and Multiculturalism. Social contact with individuals with similar experiences is highly beneficial. Moreover, the proposed studies recognize that both ethics and multiculturalism must be considered regardless of the members’ ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The counsellor will intervene in a culturally sensitive manner in this case. The group will also ensure expanded ethical processes to accommodate the changing demographics. 

References  

Berge, J., Law, D., Johnson, J., & Wells, M. (2010). Effectiveness of a Psychoeducational Parenting Group on Child, Parent and Family Behavior: A Pilot Study in a Family Practice Clinic with an Underserved Population. Family System and Health, 28 (3), 224-235. 

Bowlby, J. (1958). The Nature of a Child's Tie to his Mother. International Journal of Psycho-Analysis , 350-373. 

Brown, G., Mangelsdorf, S., & Neff, C. (2012). Father Involvement, Paternal Sensitivity, and Father-Child Attachment Security in the First Three Years. Journal of Family Psychology, 26 (3), 421-430. 

Genadek, K., & Hill, R. (2017). Parents’ Work Schedules and Time Spent with Children. Community, Work, and Family, 20 (5), 523–542. https://doi.org/10.1080/13668803.2017.1371672 

McMunn, A., Martin, P., & Kelly, Y. (2015). Fathers’ Involvement: Correlates and Consequences for Child Socioemotional Behavior in the United Kingdom. Journal of Family issues . https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X15622415 

Park, B., & Banchefsky, S. (2018). Leveraging the Social Role of Dad to Change Gender Stereotypes of Men. Personality and Social Psychology . https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167218768794