A typical nuclear family comprises of a father, mother and a child or children. All these members have different roles they have to play for it to function smoothly and that is typical of having basic building blocks that make up society (Brinkerhoff, White Ortega & Weitz, 2013). The status of a father figure dictates that they are the head of the family. In a patriarchal society, the father assumes the role of a king because they are the ones in charge of literary everything that goes on in the family. They achieve their status the moment they marry and sire children. Mothers, on the other hand, are honored to hold this position the moment they give birth to a child or children. Also, children take up different statuses depending on their ranking by birth and their gender. A first born child is the first child a father and mother beget, there could be a second, third or fourth born depending on the number of children a couple has but the one who comes last is called a last born.
The father plays a very significant role in the family, but first of all, he is the head, caretaker as well as the breadwinner. Fathers are at the top of the hierarchy and are expected to give order and direction that the family is supposed to take. They are expected to go out there and work so that they can meet the financial and material needs their wives and children want. In some societies, they are expected to give life lessons to their sons, give their daughters’ hands in marriage and together with other male family members decide on the amount of dowry to give or receive when their children get married. The father is expected to lead and give directions that are supposed to be followed.
Mothers, on the other hand, deputize fathers because they come second in command when it comes to authority. Sometimes mothers stand in for the father when he is not there. A mother is a homemaker who takes care of their children as well as their husbands. Some economically support their families if the fathers are absent or just help fathers in doing that. They spend a lot of time around the house and are near the children more than fathers. Due to that, they are the chief disciplinarians and see to it that their children behave as expected.
Relevant articles
According to Threlfall, Seay & Kohl, there is the recognition that the role of fathers in the family and the participants of the study confirmed that they recognized themselves as the providers, nurturers and teachers in the lives of their children. In as much as many of them are no longer in the lives of their children, they are aware they have a role to play in their lives. It is for that reason that a number of them expressed interests in teaching their children values that will enable them to become better persons in society.
According to Raley, Bianchi & Wang, fathers are presented as persons with tremendous responsibility in the upbringing of their children, but mothers too play a very important role (2012). If given an opportunity, fathers can act responsibly especially when mothers are out there working. At the same time, if their wives contribute to the couple’s earning, there is a high likelihood that child care responsibilities will be divided between the two and that will contribute to shared responsibilities in the home.
References
Brinkerhoff, D. B., White, L. K., Ortega, S. T. & Weitz, R. (2013). Essentials of Sociology. 9/e. Belmont: Cengage Learning, 2013. Print
Raley, S., Bianchi, S. M. & Wang, W. (2012). “When do Fathers care? Mother’s Economic Contribution to Fathers’ Involvement in Childcare.” AJS. 117 (5): 1422- 1459
Threlfall, J. M., Seay, K. D. & Kohl, P. L. (2013). “The Parenting Role of African American Fathers in the Context of Urban Poverty.” Journal of Children and Poverty. Vol. 19, Issue 1 67- 82.
