Abstract

PIP: This article examines the ways in which men have an impact on the lives of young children and illustrates how educating men about the needs of children and getting them more involved in the programming process can strengthen programs for young children. Strategies to increase men's awareness about young children are offered. A review of the published studies on the ways in which fathers are directly involved with their families and the ways fathers contribute to the family materially shows that fathers can use appropriate interactions to positively affect their children's development. For example, the level and type of involvement that a father has with his child can affect the child's scores on intelligence tests and school behavior. However, a crosscultural study has shown that four-year-olds spend very little time alone with their fathers. In many parts of the world, fathers are entirely absent from the household. The relationship between fathers and mothers can also affect the father-child relationship. While men contribute to the material well-being of families, women do so also and allocate their funds to meet the needs of the children. The role of women must be considered when programs are designed to expand the involvement of fathers or others in a child's life. The role that men play in their children's lives is affected by changes in men's ability to give their family economic support, by changes in women's ability to provide economic support, by society's changing expectations, and by men's desire to change their roles. The impact that men can have on children as teachers, healers, community leaders, religious leaders, and policymakers is also shown to be significant. Strategies to increase the involvement of men with children include 1) expanding the understanding of men in power of the importance of the early years, 2) working with men on direct parenting skills, 3) providing men with child development and parenting information, 4) providing appropriate role models, 5) supporting men in their fathering role, and 6) improving the economic environment. A series of recommended questions for consideration in the situational analysis process which can lead to policy and programming efforts to increase and improve the involvement of men ends this article.