In the February 2001 issue of Early Childhood Matters, a publication of the Bernard van Leer Foundation, an article on the changing role of fathers states: “If we believe that good fathering is as important to the growing and developing child as is good mothering, then a great deal more effort has to be invested in helping fathers to naturally fulfil their fathering roles.”

Dr. James Dobson, the author of the book “Bringing Up Boys” also emphasizes this important role especially with regard to their sons:

“While children of all ages--both male and female--have an innate need for contact with their fathers, let me emphasize again that boys suffer most from the absence or non-involvement of fathers. According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, boys without fathers are twice as likely to go to jail, and nearly four times as likely to need treatment for emotional and behavioral problems as boys with fathers (p71).”

Taking off from this, we can surmise that it is crucial for fathers to spend time bonding with their sons on a regular basis. Each father has the unique responsibility of shaping and molding his son to become a respectable and considerate member of society.

It is a given, though, that men are built differently from women. Whereas women prefer bonding while talking about their feelings, men are more likely to open up when they are working on something together side by side, like fixing the car or a leaking pipe.

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