Studies showed that effective father involvement
promotes healthy child development and later life outcomes. How often are fathers
available to their children? I think the majority of fathers spend less time
with their children than mothers. Fathers taking care of children or spending
time with children is considered not essential and sometimes non-existent in
some families as compared to mother in the family. Fathers also should have
same roles, responsibilities and commitments towards their family as compared to mothers.
Even though both mothers and fathers are
employed fathers assume that it is mothers’ responsibility to take care and
spend time with their children. Fathers’ role and responsibilities taking care
of children is equally essential in the context of child development.
In the article “Fathering Across the Border: Latino Fathers in Mexico and the U.S.” Taylor and Behnke pointed out that “economic factors” and “work condition” reason why fathers are unable to spend time with children. The fathers often work in high- risk conditions such as meat- packing plants, construction, agriculture and factories. Often long hours and odd shifts working may lead to less or minimal interaction between parent and child (p 101). In the case where fathers’ who work double shifts and odd hours to feed their family, they might not involve in parenting and able to perform their father roles.
Parenting styles and practices are different from culture to culture. The authors argued that involvement and father roles are influenced by cultural ideologies, experiences of immigration and intergenerational relationships (p113). Fathering roles are also influenced by cultural values such as gender role and father role identity that are rooted in the Latino society. Moving to a new country and the obligation to follow the laws of the U.S. affects the fathering style to control their children. The style of fathering either changed by the adopting new culture in the U.S. or people remained the same (p109). Fathering style might change entering new culture and country. Fathers sometimes have to learn new parental practices to play their roles. Fathers’ models of parenting, whether positive or negative, influenced how they interact with their children (p111). Parenting values and behaviors transmit from their fathers to children. Fathers’ usually played vital role in intergenerational relationship to influence their children.
Fathers are role model to their sons and play an active role in their children’s lives. Fathers’ role in the family should be broader than bread winning and fill other roles as well. In comparison with mothers fathers spent less time with children. Fathers’ should engage in interaction with children to help develop and promote healthy child development.
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One of the things I enjoyed most about Brent Taylor and Andrew Behnke’s article “Fathering Across the border: Latino Fathers in Mexico and the U.S.” was the steps described on page 105 that the researchers took to insure that the English translations of the Spanish interviews were authentic. Not only were the interviewers were fluent in Spanish, but all the transcriptions were checked by a native in Mexico to make sure the interviews were translated accurately. As stated in the reading, “The final translation captured the intent of the subject beyond a word-for-word translation” (Taylor and Behnke 105). I think this shows dedication to truly capture what the participants were saying and understanding that just translating a language will not always get the full story. While it is far from a perfect method, the researchers understood that language is more than words and phrases. Language is an important part of a culture that expresses ideas and emotions.
ReplyDeleteThough I do not think it was intentional, one of the things that bothered me about the article was it covert ethnocentric-ism. At times it felt like the authors viewed the United States as the better country in comparison to Mexico. For example on page 109 it states, “An alternative explanation is that these men were more progressive in Mexico, which perhaps influenced their decision to move to the U.S.” This to me makes it sound like the United States is the center of progressiveness and forward thinking, which it is not. While Mexican families might employ more traditional ideas about gender roles in the family, that doesn’t necessarily mean Mexican gender roles as a whole are not as progressive as the United States. Again on page 114, the authors make the claim that gender progressive fathers might be more likely to immigrate to the United States. I feel like this progressive fathers idea, is too simple to explain the complex reasons why someone might immigrate to another country. What is the context that the researchers are using to examine “progressive,” is it by a United State’s framework?
One of the things that I appreciated about the article "Fathering Across the border: Latino Fathers in Mexico and the US" was the fact that Taylor and Behnke were tapping into a very contemporary, relevant issue effecting many families today. In addition, I felt that researching Latino fathers specifically addressed an underrepresented population within literature and pop culture. Although there are Latino father figures represented in popular media, these representations often showcase a very narrow idea of what it means to be a Latino father in today's society. I appreciated the implementation of longer quotes from interviewees to support an argument. For instance, on page 107, Taylor and Behnke are discussing the cultural influences and traditional gender roles embodied by participants. To explain this point, the authors provide a direct quote from Santiago, a father in Mexico and participant in the research. I feel that the sharing of lived experiences paints a better picture for the audience and helps contextualize the argument being presented by the author.
ReplyDelete"Passionate fathers who are committed to their children will create a promising tomorrow" was stated by the authors in the conclusion of the article on page 116. This statement did not sit well with me, especially for an ending to an article on the exposure of Latino father figure experiences today. For me, I felt like the language used in this statement, and other times throughout the article, made me think things like, "what type of 'passionate' fathers are we talking about here?" It seems to be saying that there is one type of "good" father and others, who fall outside of that specific track, are labeled as "bad." Although the authors may not be explicitly stating this or even meaning to state this, I interpreted this statement, and others throughout the text, as such.
One thing that was identified in the article fathering across borders that I liked, was the way it addressed how immigration influences family life. Brent looks at how sociocultural changes affect parental styles. The laws on domestic violence and child care do play a role in the parenting styles and with time it forces the immigrant families to change so as to fit into the culture and avoid being in the wrong side of the law (p.109). It is good to note that even though some of the parental styles may be influenced by the laws some the parental behaviors are not changed and some fathers hold to their cultural attitudes in shaping the family.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting how the fathers are comparing parental styles in their culture and the American culture, by pointing out that children have a lot freedom at a very early age which can have negative effects on their lives. This is some sort of culture shock that they have to adapt to and integrate with some parental attitudes that they bring from their culture to get the best out of their children. The fathers want the children to have a better life than them and whatever parenting style they are using is for the benefit of the children while strengthening the parental relationship. The fathers acknowledge that nobody wants a strained relationship or to be labeled the bad parent that is why, if some of them have had bad relationships with the father s they work towards becoming better fathers.