Introduction
Both parents should play an equal role in raising their children. Presently, life has dramatically changed; this change couple with family needs has altered their tight schedules. Though some of the challenges such as balancing work-related issues, and family has been an uphill task for most parents, many of them have managed to navigate them to ensure family life succeed. This is because they believe the wholesome development of a child life is linked to initial care he/she receives from both parents.
Similarly, the joining of a man and a woman in marriage provides a new paradigm of sharing everything; hence, each step, event or decision making the couples make should factor the welfare of the child in the family. It is through common and shared values between a man and a woman that provides a foundation in which the children learn or develop early manners and behaviors. Consequently, a father’s role helps mold or teach a child how to behave and instill some form of responsibility in his/her actions.
The families with a father figure help to direct the child in many life aspects which the mother cannot single-handedly provide. It is through these assertions that I strongly believe both parents should be involved in providing equal care for their children. The parent’s contributions towards a child growth mold him/her and make him/her develop a wholesome life.
Benefits of both parents involvement in Childcare upbringing
A father, by his masculinity personality, can teach a child to be brave and provides strategies of defending himself/herself against any aggression which might cause harm to him/her. According to Kortsch, the father instills these skills in a child by embracing real-life situations at home (Kortsch). Through constant practice with the child, the father increases a child’s defense strategy by evaluating any challenge a child is facing or the challenge she/he will likely face in the future.
The father does this by increasing a child sense of responsibility and self/confidence. On the other hand, a mother is endowed with a sense of tenderness which is significant for a child’s growth and development. Garrett cites that the mother’s tender care directed towards his/her child keeps the child lean when dealing with other people. Thus, this aspect makes the child grow while understanding interpersonal skills such as humility and love (Garrett).
A father is known for his diverse wisdom, whereas the mothers are known to have emotions when making decisions. This assertion is obvious among men and it gives them an edge over women when dealing with challenges at home. The father has the capacity of nurturing competency and identity in a child by embracing his wisdom. With the father’s absence, a child is likely to face challenges in understanding his/her identity and the direction she/he wants to take in life. This problem often leads to lack of confidence or low self-esteem.
The mother’s emotions invoked while making a critical decision in the family is important to a child’s nurturing process. It helps to nurture values such as empathy, rational skills, and humility. These skills are critical in a child’s life because they help him/her make a wise decision and relate with others well whereas considering others needs. Kortsch shows that a child learns from his/her parents these skills and develop rational and logical skills when making their own decisions (Kortsch). This helps the childfree his/her mind from anything that might prohibit him/her from making a prudent decision.
Psychologists argue that good parenting is achieved when both parents are involved (Kortsch). This is because both the father and the mother knows what is best for their children and endeavors to provide the basic needs such as comfort, food, and protection which a child might need (Kortsch). Further, both parents’ help to nurture a child while upholding and maintaining some level of expectations of which they anticipate a child to achieve. Hence, through both parents participation, the child-caring process is balanced and healthier.
Research has shown that a child under the care of a single parent is susceptible to risk associated with psychological and emotional problems. This is because there are some aspects of care which need a mother or a father figure to provide. Thus, both the father and the mother should be responsible for raising their children. Their involvement ensures a child psychological and emotional health is properly nurtured. Similarly, Edmondson cites that a child needs emotional and material support from both the mother and the father.
Hence, in a circumstance where one parent cares less, a child is likely to show symptoms associated with psychological problems. To back up this claim, Edmondson indicates that a survey carried out in Scotland showed that children living in broken families showed greater risks of contracting emotional problems five times than those living with both parents (Edmondson). Further, he indicates that another survey showed that the separation of parents created three times the major risk associated with bad behavior among the children (Edmondson).
Children’s encounters significant challenges during the early years of their development. This ultimately shapes their moral, social, emotional and intellectual growth in their future life. Hence, the role of the father and the mother at home helps direct the child development on these perspectives. Kortsch shows that learning begins at home. Thus, both parents can monitor their children’s to ensure their child understand the necessary basics to succeed in other stages of learning and growth (Kortsch).
Reasons, why both parents should assume equal responsibility in raising a child, is not beneficial
Parents have different qualities which can have different effects on a child‘s behavior. Thus, when nurturing a child, a mother or a father can pass his/her undesired values or behavior to the child. These behaviors can affect the child either positively or negatively in his/her life. For example, a woman is noted as endowed with interpersonal skills such as empathy. This skill is not enough in transforming a child into a strong and robust person. Only a father can provide this since naturally, he is strong (Edmondson).
In a case where the father lacks this skill, a child will grow weak in terms of interpersonal skills. Conversely, Sunstone indicates that a father is not capable of raising a girl child on his own (Sunstone). Fathers are not endowed with affection; hence, they cannot instill masculinity and emotional confidence in a girl’s life. Garrett illustrates that daughters raised with these character from a single parent may have low self-esteem, less strong, and faces difficulties in setting boundaries around men when they grow up (Garrett).
Also, Garrett cites that when both parents are involved caring for a child, there is a likelihood of one of them being burnout (Garrett). Edmondson echoes the same sentiments when he notes that one parent may develop this tendency by shouldering the responsibilities alone (Edmondson). For example, in an instance where a mother provides services such as babysitting, cooking and money-making, she is left with less time for nurturing and pampering herself, and her relationship with others in the society weakens. These demands might contribute to health issues such as anxiety, depression, stress, among other health-related burnout on the parent.
Conclusion
I firmly believe that both parents should be involved in providing equal care for their children. A child needs the experiences of both the mother and father to guide him/her in the right direction in life. This ensures a child has a strong and balanced personality and prevents family breakdown. Besides, naturally, a man has masculinity personality; this endowment enable s him to instill in a child bravely and other strategies which a child can use to defend himself/herself. Similarly, a father is graced with wisdom and the mother is endowed with emotions. These elements are critical in developing child interpersonal skills.
On the other hand, I view that both parents cannot nurture the child and give him/her all the care that is needed. Women are blessed with empathy; hence, if they fail to use this skill to feel the void where the father figure is lacking, then a child development is affected. Similarly, either a mother or the father may burnout due to the responsibilities involved in the care of the child. The responsibility of caring for the child should be shared by both the mother and the father. This will ensure each value of the parents are trickled down to the children and enhance the child growth and development.
Works Cited
Edmondson, Ron. Being a Man: Growing up Without a Dad, 2012.
Garrett, Bravada. Growing up without a Father: the Impact on Girls and Women, 2012.
Kortsch, Gabriella. Fatherless Women: What Happens to the Adult Woman Who Was Raised Without Her Father? 2012.
Sunstone, Paul. How Do Fatherless Girls Gain  Confidence, 2008.