Fathers in India are increasingly getting involved in everyday parenting, a recent survey has found.
The survey, conducted by Mumbai-based Podar Institute of Education, also found that though fathers are getting more involved in parenting but a majority of them cannot do it alone and need the help of their wives.
“The findings dispel many of the conventional notions about parenting which put mothers in the spotlight. A common complain of mothers is that fathers are not involved in everyday parenting and that they have to bear the burden alone,” said the research, in which 4,800 fathers were surveyed.
According to the survey, 70 per cent fathers are now making a conscious effort to reduce their travel for work in order to spend more time with their children and at least 65 per cent fathers spend two or more hours every day with their children.
They are now aware of which school the child attends or which class and even attend their open house and events, the survey said.
However, there is still some scope of improvement by fathers in giving time, learning to discipline their children and helping children with school work, it said.
The survey also found that only 33 per cent spend time doing household chores or reading to their children.
Eighty-eight per cent of fathers need their wife around when they take children out and only 12 per cent are confident to go out alone with their children, the survey said.
Many fathers are not so involved in helping around the house or in household chores and most are not happy with the amount of time they are able to spend with their kids, it said.
Dr Swati Popat Vats, President, Early Childhood Association, feels that these results are a good sign that children today are benefiting by equal involvement of both parents and this will be good for the overall emotional development and emotional intelligence in children.
Erik Erikson, a pioneer in the world of child psychology, said that a father’s love and a mother’s love are qualitatively different.
“Fathers love more dangerously because their love is more expectant and instrumental than a mother’s love. A father brings unique contributions to the job of parenting a child that no one else can replicate,” he said.