Dad Central Ontario published a post this past March that aims to simplify the most essential elements of what it means to be a positively involved dad.

The Dad Central Ontario post starts by identifying the most influential factor affecting positive father involvement as being the quality of the relationship between father and child.  They state, “While it is important for dads to have time to be with their children, when a strong relationship exists, it is the most protective and important element that fathers bring to helping children develop.”

Based on consistent themes found in research, positively involved fathers bring four things to their role:

1.     They view their role as co-parent rather than a “helper”

2.     They have warm, loving relationships with their children

3.     They adjust their involvement to meet the needs of the child

4.     They engage in diverse forms of parenting, including play and discipline.

These four foundational pieces are supplemented by three additional aspects:

1.     Engagement:  This is defined as direct, one-on-one time with a child.  It can include activities like changing diapers, bathing or feeding an infant.  It can also be reading to a child, taking them to the doctor or helping with their homework.

2.     Accessibility:  This is the indirect involvement and availability of dads for their children.  It can include preparing food for the child, being available to answer questions or comfort them when upset, or taking time off work to be with a sick child.

3.     Responsibility: This is the attitude and commitment of a dad to their child.  It is harder to define, but includes a dad’s willingness or desire to be involved, taking initiative for what needs to be done for the child and the family, and their commitment to the child and family.

For organizations wanting to engage more dads, DadCentral offer a free webinar, How to Support and Include Dads:  10 Actions You Can Take Now:  https://dadcentral.ca/how-to-support-and-include-dads/  which includes a supplement with ideas on how to apply this understanding to virtual programming, including leveraging social media, offering online programs, and becoming a link to digital resources.