“It is a wise father that knows his own child.” ~William Shakespeare

The United States’ first Father’s Day was celebrated in 1910. In our culture, the role of fathers has changed over the years. Approximately 6 out of 10 men are fathers. That is about 70 million dads in the U.S. Among all stay-at-home parents, 16% are fathers. Even if the father is not a stay-at-home dad, “fathers who live with their children have become more involved in their children’s lives than previous generations” according to the CDC. A father’s involvement has been shown to have a positive effect on children and their wellbeing:

(1) Reducing the chances of delinquency and substance abuse, and
(2) Increasing the chances of academic success.

What are fathers doing now?

For fathers living with children under age 5:

  • 72% of fathers ate meals with their children daily
  • 90% of fathers bathed, diapered, or dressed the children, or helped them bathe, dress, or use the toilet “every day” or “several times a week
  • 81% of fathers played with their children daily, and 18% played with them several times a week
  • 29% of fathers read to their children daily

For fathers living with children aged 5-18,

  • 66% of fathers ate meals with their children every day
  • 21% of fathers took their children to and from activities daily
  • 65% of fathers talked with their children about things that had happened during the child’s day every day
  • 30% of fathers helped their children with homework or checked that their children had done their homework every day

It seems that given the chance, many fathers are stepping up and are becoming more involved in their children’s lives.

Fun Facts About Dads

Here are some fun facts about fatherhood:

  • According to the University of North Carolina Health Care scientists, a “novel research study reveals that mammals are genetically more like their dads.” So even though we receive equal amounts of genes from both of our parents, we use more of the DNA that we inherit from our fathers.
  • During pregnancy, mothers are not the only ones who experience hormone changes, fathers do too!
  • Fathers who help with household chores have daughters who aspire to less traditional and potentially higher paying careers.
  • Dads who spend time with their children are happier at work and less likely to experience conflicts at home

Contact Klok Law Firm LLC for help if you need to establish paternity and custody rights regarding your child. You can make a difference and we can help you do it.