New Delhi, Nov 19 (PTI) Fathers in India are increasinglygetting involved in everyday parenting, a recent survey hasfound.
The survey, conducted by Mumbai-based Podar Institute ofEducation, also found that though fathers are getting moreinvolved in parenting but a majority of them cannot do italone and need the help of their wives.
"The findings dispel many of the conventional notionsabout parenting which put mothers in the spotlight. A commoncomplain of mothers is that fathers are not involved ineveryday parenting and that they have to bear the burdenalone," said the research, in which 4,800 fathers weresurveyed.
According to the survey, 70 per cent fathers are nowmaking a conscious effort to reduce their travel for work inorder to spend more time with their children and at least 65per cent fathers spend two or more hours every day with theirchildren.
They are now aware of which school the child attends orwhich class and even attend their open house and events, thesurvey said.
However, there is still some scope of improvement byfathers in giving time, learning to discipline their childrenand helping children with school work, it said.
The survey also found that only 33 per cent spend timedoing household chores or reading to their children.
Eighty-eight per cent of fathers need their wife aroundwhen they take children out and only 12 per cent are confidentto go out alone with their children, the survey said.
Many fathers are not so involved in helping around thehouse or in household chores and most are not happy with theamount of time they are able to spend with their kids, itsaid.
Dr Swati Popat Vats, President, Early ChildhoodAssociation, feels that these results are a good sign thatchildren today are benefiting by equal involvement of bothparents and this will be good for the overall emotionaldevelopment and emotional intelligence in children.
Erik Erikson, a pioneer in the world of child psychology,said that a father's love and a mother's love arequalitatively different.
"Fathers love more dangerously because their love is moreexpectant and instrumental than a mother's love. A fatherbrings unique contributions to the job of parenting a childthat no one else can replicate," he said. PTI GJS ASKRCJ.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.