Peer-reviewed article
The Importance of Fathers Roles in Early Childhood Care
Ita Ilmawaddah, Sofi Affia ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This literature review examines the role of fathers in early childhood care, with a focus on Indonesia where father involvement in parenting remains suboptimal. The study identifies that active father involvement across physical, affective and cognitive dimensions significantly influences children's social, cognitive, behavioral and emotional development. Fathers contribute through multiple functions including supervision, emotional support, meeting children's needs, and active participation in activities. The research argues that fathers should move beyond traditional breadwinner roles to actively engage in the child-rearing process.
Key points
- Father involvement has significant impact on three main domains: cognitive, affective and behavioral development
- In Indonesia, fathers' roles in child care are still not optimal despite growing international research attention
- Active father involvement includes physical, affective and cognitive engagement
- Fathers' roles encompass supervision, emotional support, meeting needs, protection, and shared activities
- Father presence significantly influences children's social development
Limitations
This is a literature review without primary data collection, so it cannot provide empirical evidence about the magnitude of father involvement effects or how outcomes vary across different Indonesian contexts. The document does not specify which studies were reviewed or provide quantitative evidence of outcomes.
Abstract
The importance of father involvement in child care has become a topic that is often researched, both internationally and in Indonesia. However, in Indonesia, the role of fathers in child care is still not optimal. active that involves physical, affective and cognitive. This article was written using the literature study method. This research shows that the presence of fathers in children's lives has a significant role, especially in children's social development. Fathers, as part of the family, are expected not only to be breadwinners but also to contribute actively in parenting to create optimal child development. Father's involvement in raising children has a significant impact on three main domains, namely cognitive, affective and behavioral. supervising, being involved in the child's development process, being a provider of needs, showing affection, protecting, providing emotional support, carrying out responsibilities, nurturing, caring for children, sharing pleasant moments, being present when needed, making plans, and participating in various activities together.