Urban African-American Adolescent Fathers Summary

Fatherless homes in the black community is at 57.6% (NCF, 2017). One of many issues of a fatherless home is children have less structure and lack of discipline; i.e. Chicago. The children suffer the most. I believe children need both parents in the household to be complete (“not all”). I believe if women have father’s in their lives (a positive male figure at minimum) it could help their decision in choosing the right mate will help this issue.

The role of the father, a male figure in a child’s life is a very crucial role that has been diminishing over the years. An absent father can be defined in two ways; the father is physically not present, or the father is physically present, but emotionally present. To an adolescent, a father is an idolized figure, someone they look up to (Feud, 1921), thus when such a figure is an absent one, it can and will negatively affect a child’s development. Many of the problems we face in society today, such as crime and delinquency, poor academic achievement, divorce, drug use, early pregnancy and sexual activity can be attributed to fathers being absent during adolescent development (Popenoe, 1996; Whitehead, 1993). The percentage of

The book is about how unwed fathers are seen as a leading social problem, but goes on to explain the flaws that occur after pregnancy that lead to the end of the couple’s romance. The book looks at the bond between the father and child rather than that between the parents. The book also goes through how changes economically and culturally for the urban poor as well as the obstacles they must overcome has changed fatherhood.

Family is the first contact an infant experiences and the environment child is raised determines their behaviors and social development. Father figures just like mother figures are important in raising and socializing children in becoming responsible people as they grow. Numerous researches to determine importance of fathers in early child development have been carried out and majority of them found out that just like mothers, the role fathers play in early childhood development including mental, psychological and physical development are crucial. The studies show that, children raised by single mothers are likely to have problems such as drug abuse, engagement in early sexual behaviors and other unsocial behaviors as compared to those raised by both parents. The paper will explore the role of fathers in child rearing, discussing strategies in raising children and exploring pros and cons of such strategies.

With a missing male role model (father figure), the oldest child of a set of multiples tends to take on the other parents responsibities making the younger siblings look at them as a parental figure. This could mean doing simple chores like keeping the house clean, all the way to helping out financially. This phenomenon is called parentification. Parentification is all too common in African American families today. The missing father figure is seen as one of the main reasons for African Americans disciplinary problems, psychological health, and lowered academic success. Without the knowledge of how to behave in certain situations, the mental/emotional strain, and the already low academic achievement, many black students feel that college is unnecessary and causes them to bring up the question, “How will my family survive without me?”

Several of the programs that are offered for the children, and the parents mainly focus on sustaining communication between the child and the parent. The insufficiency of the connection between the parent and the child, can sometimes involve the distance required for the child to travel. At times the children are found in an underprivileged situation, and are unable to visit their parent, because they can’t afford the voyage to the prison (Simmons). Other programs emphasis career pathways as well as residence reinforcement for the parent after their release. Most incarcerated mothers subsequently are limited in their parenting abilities (Ross). Plenty of educational classes are offered for aiding the parents to get back on track with their parenting duties.These courses educate the mothers about the child growth, and their behavioral control. The parent education classes are not only beneficial for the mothers, but studies show that fathers also

This article climbs into the struggle of young black males. Many issues that are recurring such as early school dropout, delinquency, poverty, unemployment, incarceration, fatherless, and they don’t have much of a chance to lead a successful life. Most black males are set up to fail at this rate and all this leads to a need to develop interventions to save those lost lives of the young black communities.

Research has revealed that a father’s involvement in his child’s life greatly improves the child’s chances for success. Helping incarcerated fathers foster stronger connections with their children (where appropriate) can have a positive effect for children. What is needed is stronger training of social workers and prison personnel to help males with bonding and effective parenting skills. Prisons also need to work on reorganizing visiting spaces in prisons because they are not always

Lowe Jr., W. (2000). Detriangulation of Absent Fathers in Single-Parent Black Families: Techniques of Imagery. American Journal of Family Therapy, 28(1), 29-40. doi:10.1080/019261800261798

The stereotype that African American fathers are not there for their children is a common misconception throughout America. The idea of absent African American fathers is fleeting because more people are beginning to shine light on the statistics of the real number of absent African American fathers. In fact, African American fathers are just as present as white fathers regardless of the relationship with the mother. The latest data finds that the stereotypical gender imbalance in this area doesn’t hold true, and dads are just as hands on when it comes to raising their children. For children between the ages of 5-18, 67% of fathers talk with their children about their day daily. This manner of conversation is the foundation of a healthy relationship.

That's not true either. Where did you get "75%" from? Here is the truth from the CDC. You should read this so you don't look ridiculous in your next interaction.

A father’s role in a child’s life is extremely important when it comes to a child’s development. With so much emphasis placed on young black boys needing their fathers during crucial developmental ages, the rate of our young black girls growing up without fathers is staggering and overlooked. What is an absent father? The definition is quite simple; an absent father can be defined as a father who is not present in the life of their child whether it is physically, emotionally, or both. Although the absence of a father is detrimental in any child’s life, the absence of such in a young black girl’s life is even more crucial. The absent father in a black girl’s life leads to, in some cases, promiscuity and teenage pregnancy, poverty, and

Black fathers in the United States are more prone to becoming more absent from their children's lives. A key factor to the absence of these fathers is because of mass incarceration due to police brutality, drugs, felonies, and murders. Many of these black men commit the crimes knowingly, therefore knowing that it could lead them to jail or prison. These men are deliberately committing the crimes that have become part of their lifestyle because they are determined to live a life of wealth and luxury. Even though there are opportunities for these men to work legally to earn their money they still chose to do it the illegal way. Guns and drug charges are the two main factors in causing these men to be absent from their children's lives. The lives

For various reasons, many children in the United States are living without their fathers in their homes or absent from their lives entirely. This is an issue all across the world and the children are having to deal with the disadvantages caused by the lack of support from their fathers. This issue has a significant effect on society and can be viewed and interpreted from the three sociological perspectives. As a result of many studies, it was found that children raised in father absent homes almost universally experience disadvantages such as: worse health, poorer academic achievement, and a less enjoyable educational experience. There are many variables that need to be taken into effect when considering

“I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection.” --Sigmund Freud, Standard Edition, 1956