Negative Effects Of Absent Fathers

The emphasis on individualism has provoked a deeper inspection of one’s personal values and beliefs while feminism has opened the door for a new type of traditional family to emerge with new dynamics between parents, children and their roles within the home. These new dynamics merge right along with cultural values as the two merge. In America, life is varied from home to home with different culturally-influenced family values. While throughout other parts of the world, different countries have maintained a balance within a core value system that affects all families alike through religion and a national way of life. There is no doubt that the many varied factors of modern society, ethnic background and religion all play significant roles in forming family values that shape the life of an

“Any form of delinquent behavior is 7.6% points lower among boys living with their biological fathers and is 8.5% points lower among boys who live with stepfathers and have no relationship with their biological fathers” (Cobb-Clark and Tekin, 2013). When it comes to adolescent girls, Cobb-Clark and Tekin (2013) found that if they live with their biological father, they are less likely to be involved in violent behavior, sell drugs and be involved in gangs than adolescent girls without fathers (Cobb-Clark and Tekin, 2013). This is about a 3.6%-point difference between girls with fathers and girls without fathers (Cobb-Clark and Tekin, 2013). In East et al. (2006) research for adolescent girls, it found that if the father left a girl’s life when she was five years old or younger, that child’s rate of teen pregnancy was increased compared to children whose father was absent between the ages of five and thirteen and those whose father was not absent. When adolescent boys were compared to adolescent girls, research done by Cobb-Clark and Tekin ( 2013) showed that adolescent boys engaged in more delinquent behavior than adolescent girls when there is no father figure present. This can carry on into the child’s adult life as

The introduction begins with quotes from people who mention that fathers get women pregnant and then leave the woman and the child; they mention that men need to realize their responsibilities do not end with conception. The book summarizes these quotes as unwed fatherhood is one of the leading social problems, and these men are irresponsible and “hit and run.” A CBS special report, The Vanishing Family, was an interview of McSeed, a father of six from four different women. In the interview, he says the responsibility of raising the child is on the mother, not him.

After the American Revolution, middle- class Americans started reexamining household norms and child rearing. Before the revolution, the father had the power of a king in the household. “…Patriarchy equated the father’s power over the family with a king’s power over his subjects” (161). When the colonies disavowed their allegiance to the British crown, they started reexamining the different roles each household member held. Evangelical Protestantism also encouraged the reexamination of child rearing. They believed that original sin corrupted human nature, and thus if children were to follow their own instinct, they would be corrupt, and so it is the parent’s duty to stop this, so the child would be more submissive and obedient to parents and godly authority could replace it. Another factor that influenced family roles and child rearing was the economic change and political ideas. This affected the Northeast the most because of the urbanization and the industrialization outside the houses. As fathers worked outside homes, the mother’s role became clear. She was assigned the task of raising children that can govern themselves as productive

As society progresses, it is not only women that are family oriented. In the past, it has been seen as the woman’s ‘job’ to take care of the household and care for the children. With the Selective Service, women did not have to fear being torn from their families to fight for their country. However, in this current generation, women are not always the primary caretakers of their children. Fathers in this generation are becoming more aware and involved in their children lives. In some cases, the fathers even

Due to problems arising out of bitter divorces, custody, and support battles fathers are ostracize out of their children’s life. Fathers are often looked at as the bad person when things go wrong and being the blame. Fathers are just as responsible for the child being born as the mother. Over the years fathers continue to fight for equal rights, mothers are looked at as the victims and often make false statements about the fathers to suit their own selfish needs. Accusations of sexual and child abuse by mothers of the noncustodial fathers are often found to be untrue.

A father’s role in a child’s life is extremely important when it comes to a child’s development. With so much emphasis placed on young black boys needing their fathers during crucial developmental ages, the rate of our young black girls growing up without fathers is staggering and overlooked. What is an absent father? The definition is quite simple; an absent father can be defined as a father who is not present in the life of their child whether it is physically, emotionally, or both. Although the absence of a father is detrimental in any child’s life, the absence of such in a young black girl’s life is even more crucial. The absent father in a black girl’s life leads to, in some cases, promiscuity and teenage pregnancy, poverty, and

Robyn Johnson, a psychologist, said that a minister once told her that " if a the father engages, stays involved, and is supportive of the child these actions can lead to better outcomes for that child" (Johnson). A structured lifestyle with an involved father to teach in the morals of life will allow for a boy to be able to learn the aspects of chivalry that their father demonstrate. Looking at it from a different perspective, some men feel as if they are not good enough to be positive all models for their sons (Kimball). Yet, even if the father is messed up the son is still watching, therefore the fathers leave in order to "protect" their sons. When in all reality it is hurting their sons because the father is not present.

1). This study used semi-formal interviews to collect research (Ransaw, pg. 7). The data was based on African American fathers (or step-fathers), between the ages of 18-52, living in an urban community in the Southwest U.S. Two of the fathers were Sunni Muslims, two were Nation of Islam Muslims, one was Catholic, three of the fathers were Methodist, and one was Baptist. The researchers took into account that the sample group may have been biased because religious men turned fathers are more likely to be involved in their children’s lives (Ransaw, pg. 18). Two were single fathers and one was also a grandfather. The majority of the fathers earned between $25,000 and $50,000 per year (Ransaw, pg. 8). They were rated on the Fathering Involvement Scale which is comprised of three components: first, the direct interaction with the child pertaining to caretaking and play. The second part is the ability to be physically and psychologically available for the child’s everyday needs, and the third factor involves being responsible for the child’s welfare and well-being (Pleck & Pleck,

We know much more about incarcerated mothers than we know about incarcerated fathers. For example, over 70% of female inmates are mothers of dependent children under the age of eighteen. Almost 90% of incarcerated females are single parents and heads of households. According to some estimates, a quarter of a million children are separated from their parents each year by jail and prison (Glick & Neto, 1977; McGowan & Blumenthal, 1978; McPeek & Tse, 1988; U.S. Department of Justice, 1992). We do not have this kind of information about incarcerated fathers. The lack of statistics concerning fathers in prison may suggest that they are a forgotten group.

The role of the family has changed in America, in which, the authority of the parent does not have much influence in the child’s future. Tocqueville note that the father has lost most of his authority from the child, "which formerly separated a father from his sons has been lessened and that paternal authority, if not destroyed, is at least impaired” (Tocqueville 219). For example, young men are able to make their own decisions based on their priorities and

For various reasons, many children in the United States are living without their fathers in their homes or absent from their lives entirely. This is an issue all across the world and the children are having to deal with the disadvantages caused by the lack of support from their fathers. This issue has a significant effect on society and can be viewed and interpreted from the three sociological perspectives. As a result of many studies, it was found that children raised in father absent homes almost universally experience disadvantages such as: worse health, poorer academic achievement, and a less enjoyable educational experience. There are many variables that need to be taken into effect when considering

the power of the fathers: a familial, social, ideological, and political system in which, by direct pressure -- or through tradition, law and language, customs, etiquette, education, and division of labor -- men determine

Actor and father Billy Dee Williams once said, “I think I'm a good father. As a parent, you have the responsibility to create a foundation for your children so that they can meet all the challenges.” As the patriarch of the family God commands them to care for and nurture a child in the way they should go. Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word patriarch as “One of the scriptural fathers of the human race or of the Hebrew people.” When a patriarch completes his fatherly role, he ensures that his children feel loved and well cared for. If a father does not take care of his children, it can often lead to hardships for the children as they deal with an absent father. Patriarchy in a family atmosphere holds significant importance in its everyday role as it can dictate how it affects the rest of the family.

The role of the father, a male figure in a child’s life is a very crucial role that has been diminishing over the years. An absent father can be defined in two ways; the father is physically not present, or the father is physically present, but emotionally present. To an adolescent, a father is an idolized figure, someone they look up to (Feud, 1921), thus when such a figure is an absent one, it can and will negatively affect a child’s development. Many of the problems we face in society today, such as crime and delinquency, poor academic achievement, divorce, drug use, early pregnancy and sexual activity can be attributed to fathers being absent during adolescent development (Popenoe, 1996; Whitehead, 1993). The percentage of