Getting back into regular contact with your kids after a long absence is a special challenge. Many men feel defeated by the past or discouraged because they haven’t kept up with their kids. However, fathers matter a lot to kids, even if they have been absent. Knowing who your father is and that he cares for you is crucial. Kids get part of their identity from their fathers. If the only thing they have is absence, they can imagine it’s their fault or that they didn’t measure up in some way. As the father, you can do things for your child that no one else can. Here are some things to keep in…
This InfoSheet presents research findings from the 2006 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services study, What About the Dads? Child Welfare Agencies' Efforts to Identify, Locate, and Involve Nonresident Fathers, which was conducted by the Urban Institute with the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago. Based on this research, it offers ways in which caseworkers can locate and work with fathers to get them involved with their children.
This analysis draws on longitudinal, qualitative interviews with disadvantaged mothers and fathers who participated in the Fragile Families Study (a U.S. birth cohort study) to examine how issues related to men's employment, social support, skills, and motivation facilitated their care of young children in different relationship contexts. Interviews with parents indicate that while some motivated and skilled men actively chose to become caregivers with the support of mothers, others developed new motivations, skills, and parenting supports in response to situations in which they were out of…
This document is to guide family services practitioners and fatherhood advocates in Minnesota as they work with fathers. The hope is that this information will help identify when an unmarried father is facing an issue that has important legal considerations or ramifications and provide some brief information. This is general educational information and not advice on any particular situation. More in-depth information on these topics can be found in the Unmarried Fathers? Guide to Paternity, Custody, Parenting Time and Child Support inMinnesota, at…
The subject of this paper is the association between the transition to fatherhood and men's work effort. We test three hypotheses: 1) that the transition to fatherhood is associated with an increase in work effort; 2) that the positive association (if any) between the transition to fatherhood and work effort is greater for fathers who are married at the time of the transition; and 3) that the association (if any) is greater for men who make the transition at younger ages. The data are from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 Cohort. We find that the transition to fatherhood is…
This paper examines how child support, frequency of contact with children, and the relationship between nonresidential parents influence early adolescent reports of the involvement of fathers and mothers in their life. Data come from the Young Adult Study of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (NLSY79) that has followed the children of NLSY mothers from birth into their twenties. Results show that increases in child support and in contact with the child after separation are linked to a better coparental relationship at ages 11/12. This better relationship between parents is, in…
This study tested a model hypothesizing mothers' level of involvement as well as marital conflict, mothers' work hours, and father's status as biological or step father as influences on coresident father involvement. The analysis also tested hypotheses about mother involvement as a potential mediator of the effects of marital conflict and maternal work hours on father involvement, and hypotheses about factors influencing mother involvement. Primary data were provided by children aged 10-14 from the NLSY79 who resided with their biological or step father and with their mother. A composite…
Although research has demonstrated the importance of early parental interactions to the development of later adult romantic relationships, the influence of young adults' relations with their parents has yet to be determined. This paper examined how the relationship of young men and women with their own parents affects the quality of their later adult romantic relationships. Males and females (ages 17-34 years old) who participated in the 1979 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth - Young Adult Survey 2004 and were either cohabiting with a partner or married were included in the current study…
Sharing quality time with your family can build stronger relationships and foster a sense of wellbeing for all family members. The family vacation is a traditional part of the American summer and is intended to forge these family bonds in a relaxed environment. We all know that family vacations can often be expensive due to costs such as fuel, rental cars, food, lodging and even plane tickets. Don't despair! There are a variety of ideas for family fun both inside and outside of the house that will not break the bank. This tip sheet will offer some direction on how you can make that happen! (…
This study, the first of its kind, provides an estimate of the taxpayer costs of father absence. More precisely, it estimates the annual expenditures made by the federal government to support father-absent homes. These federal expenditures include those made on thirteen means-tested antipoverty programs and child support enforcement, and the total expenditures add up to a startling $99.8 billion. (Author abstract)
