Grown-ups with testicles are more important for the family?

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snapcap
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19 Jun 2012, 1:54 am

Most people assume that the mother is more important than a father in rearing children, probably going back to the idea that women are naturally better caretakers, and are closer to their children because they were once a part of them. When you read about the statistics of how children in a single parent household have a marked disadvantage to children with both parents, they are usually about homes that are fatherless, and a lot of statistics on fatherless homes are overwhelming in the disadvantage their absence leaves. This leads me to believe that fathers are actually more important than mothers in rearing a child, though of course, it's more beneficial to have both present. Are fathers more important for children?


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Declension
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19 Jun 2012, 2:10 am

Well, there is a natural experiment going on right now, with many homosexual couples raising children. If fathers are more important than mothers, then we would expect to see the children of lesbian couples go off the rails, while the children of gay male couples become extremely well-adjusted.

Personally, I don't think that this will happen. My prediction is that children of homosexual couples will tend to turn out less well-adjusted than other children, but there will be no significant difference between children with two mothers and children with two fathers. This is because I think that the lack of being well-adjusted will be due to society judging them, rather than due to the family itself.



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19 Jun 2012, 2:23 am

While the mother is the care giver at home, the father provides an example of a worldly role model - for boys, it's how to behave like a respectable man - while for girls, it's a matter of providing an example of a desirable mate in later life.
I am not about to say, though, that same sex couples can't provide the same elements in a relationship with a child. And I think we all know that there are plenty of households with a mother and father in which children don't receive either nurture, or a good life example.

-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer



Mummy_of_Peanut
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19 Jun 2012, 4:18 am

I'm not going say that my husband is more important than me, in the raising of our daughter. However, I will say he's essential to our household. If he was not here, I would not be able to do my job as a mother as well as I do it now. I would fail and my daughter would suffer. I simply wouldn't have the time to do all that I do, plus everything he does. I'd also need to work, so there would be even less time. If I was not here, my husband would struggle too, but in different ways. I'm better at some things and he's better at others (and it's not all down to me being a woman and him being a man). But, my husband is a very good Dad. He spends a lot of time with her. I doubt there are many men who do as much with their daughters as my husband does. Everything we do is centred on our child, except for the very occasional night out. My husband does not go out with mates down the pub or sit and watch football or anything else that would not involve her, when she's around. When they are together, he's playing, helping with homework, getting her ready for bed, etc. I do these things too, but when he comes home from work, his priority is spending time with her (I've had the after school time with her and, and during the holidays it's the whole day). When she goes to bed, the time left is for us.


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enrico_dandolo
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19 Jun 2012, 7:48 am

snapcap wrote:
When you read about the statistics of how children in a single parent household have a marked disadvantage to children with both parents, they are usually about homes that are fatherless, and a lot of statistics on fatherless homes are overwhelming in the disadvantage their absence leaves.

That's because men can't become pregnant by accident. Single parent households are not ideal, the majority of them are mother-only, and the most disadvantageous situations too.

To get a proper picture, we should compare households where the mother died to households where the father died -- men and women die equally and for similar reasons, so we would be comparing apples with apples, at least.



Mummy_of_Peanut
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19 Jun 2012, 8:33 am

enrico_dandolo wrote:
snapcap wrote:
When you read about the statistics of how children in a single parent household have a marked disadvantage to children with both parents, they are usually about homes that are fatherless, and a lot of statistics on fatherless homes are overwhelming in the disadvantage their absence leaves.

That's because men can't become pregnant by accident. Single parent households are not ideal, the majority of them are mother-only, and the most disadvantageous situations too.

To get a proper picture, we should compare households where the mother died to households where the father died -- men and women die equally and for similar reasons, so we would be comparing apples with apples, at least.
Exactly. It's not that common for men to be the sole parent. The reasons a man could be in this position are different from the reasons why a woman could be in the same position. That reason would obviously have an impact on the chances of the child receiving inadequte care. You'd have to compare like with like.


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simon_says
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19 Jun 2012, 9:23 am

One person only has so many hours to deal with things.

I don't think it has much to do with genitalia unless someone has a very unusual family.



AspieOtaku
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19 Jun 2012, 10:29 am

It is beginning to seem like testicles are a new obsessive topic. :lol:


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Last edited by AspieOtaku on 19 Jun 2012, 1:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.

snapcap
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19 Jun 2012, 10:42 am

Declension wrote:
Well, there is a natural experiment going on right now, with many homosexual couples raising children. If fathers are more important than mothers, then we would expect to see the children of lesbian couples go off the rails, while the children of gay male couples become extremely well-adjusted.

Personally, I don't think that this will happen. My prediction is that children of homosexual couples will tend to turn out less well-adjusted than other children, but there will be no significant difference between children with two mothers and children with two fathers. This is because I think that the lack of being well-adjusted will be due to society judging them, rather than due to the family itself.


I don't think the experiment necessarily has to take place. Just look at the numbers.

http://thefatherlessgeneration.wordpress.com/statistics/

Quote:
63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes (US Dept. Of Health/Census) – 5 times the average.

90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes – 32 times the average.

85% of all children who show behavior disorders come from fatherless homes – 20 times the average. (Center for Disease Control)

80% of rapists with anger problems come from fatherless homes –14 times the average. (Justice & Behavior, Vol 14, p. 403-26)

71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes – 9 times the average. (National Principals Association Report)


The numbers are pretty over whelming. For instance, if 90% of homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes, then that means all other situations account for 10%, with motherless homes only accounting for a portion of that.

What is more desirable, a fatherless home or a motherless home? Stats seems to overwhelmingly point that a motherless home is more likely to lead to a well adjusted child.


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19 Jun 2012, 12:05 pm

homepageis pure hogwash.

that aside what variables have they considered for me to take them seriosuly?


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snapcap
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19 Jun 2012, 12:38 pm

A loving father is 'more important to children'

Quote:
Children were more likely to be insecure, hostile and aggressive if they did not have a loving father present, researchers claim.

A study found that rejection by either parent has a profound effect on the development of children which lasts into adulthood. And a father's love is just as important to a child's personality as a mother's – and sometimes more so.


Seems to be backed up by the stats, but is the claim that small amount of motherless homes make the date look like the children fair a lot worse without a father?


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snapcap
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19 Jun 2012, 12:50 pm

Trying to find stats for motherless homes.


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visagrunt
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19 Jun 2012, 12:52 pm

I don't think it matters whether a child has a male parent or a female parent in the home.

I think what matters is that a child has two parents. Male, female, biological, adopted, step or foster--these factors are far less important in my view than there being two adults who share responsibility for the child's happiness and welfare.


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snapcap
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19 Jun 2012, 1:00 pm

visagrunt wrote:
I don't think it matters whether a child has a male parent or a female parent in the home.

I think what matters is that a child has two parents. Male, female, biological, adopted, step or foster--these factors are far less important in my view than there being two adults who share responsibility for the child's happiness and welfare.


I'm sure either way, motherless or fatherless, a child is at a disadvantage, but why does it seem that the fatherless children are much more at a disadvantage?


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Mummy_of_Peanut
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19 Jun 2012, 1:05 pm

snapcap wrote:
What is more desirable, a fatherless home or a motherless home? Stats seems to overwhelmingly point that a motherless home is more likely to lead to a well adjusted child.
But think abut the differences in circumstances leading up to how a home becomes motherless and one that becomes fatherless. There's much more to it that whether the parent is male or female. Motherless homes are less common and I'd suggest that a fair portion of the fathers are widowed (some of the women will be widowed too, but a smaller portion). Where the mother is living, the father has made a choice to care for his kids, which puts him in a positive light already. Whereas, a woman can be left with no option but to care for her kids, whether she wants them or not (other than giving them up for adoption). There may never have been a father in the picture, except for conception.


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Last edited by Mummy_of_Peanut on 19 Jun 2012, 2:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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19 Jun 2012, 1:06 pm

ir probably doesnt, you just want it to be, observer bias.


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