The Science of Fatherhood: Why Dads Matter

[ChloeB]

For al you daddy's, just wanted to say happy father's day. I think your importance sometimes gets underrated in the shadow of mothers. I thought this was study was nice to show how important dads are too. My dad died when I was 10, I feel like I've forgotten so much, more and more as I've grown up, but I remember he was very sweet and sensitive and kind to me, even in that short time, I think it had a big impact on me and I had the greatest grandfather who filled in. I think I was very lucky in that respect. So to all the good dads out there, I think you are EXTRA special and rare in this day and age.............Happy Father's Day to you.

For decades, psychologists and other researchers assumed that the mother-child bond was the most important one in a kid's life. They focused on studying those relationships, and however a child turned out, mom often got the credit — or blame.

Within the last several decades, though, scientists are increasingly realizing just how much dads matter. Just like women, fathers' bodies respond to parenthood, and their parenting style affects their kids just as much, and sometimes more, than mom's.

"We're now finding that not only are fathers influential, sometimes they have more influence on kids' development than moms," said Ronald Rohner, the director of the Center for the Study of Interpersonal Acceptance and Rejection at the University of Connecticut.

"Knowing that kids feel loved by their father is a better predictor of young adults' sense of well-being, of happiness, of life satisfaction than knowing about the extent to which they feel loved by their mothers," Rohner said. He and his colleagues detailed their findings in May in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Review.

http://www.livescien...athers-day.html

Edited June 16, 2012 by ChloeB

[Still Waters]

Nice article ChloeB Thank you

My dad mattered....because he was my dad, and I miss him.

[SereneScene]

I love my mom with all my heart and no doubt I have wonderful memories with her but when it comes to influence my dad had more on me, I respected him so much and he taught me so much, when I have kids I want to be an even better dad then he was! And I can only hope my wife is as good as a mother as my mom is, all in all im thankful for both of them, I miss my dad but his passing has taught me to appreciate the time I have now with my mom now.

Edited July 13, 2012 by Kev007