The involvement of fathers is essential for the physical and mental health of children, and science says so

When we tell you that it is vital for everyone that fathers do their part in parenting, it is not for nothing. In a new study published in the scientific journal Pediatric researchJapanese researchers examined the relationship between father involvement as early as 6 months of the child’s life and the child’s developmental outcomes at age 3.

When fathers also get involved, it’s good for everyone

The researchers’ results, after carrying out the study on 28,050 children, are clear:

High father involvement in child care is associated with a lower risk of developmental delay in the areas of gross motor skills, fine motor skills, problem solving, and personal and social domains compared to low involvement, taking into account potential confounding factors.

Fathers’ active involvement in child care during early childhood may promote young children’s development, in part by reducing maternal parenting stress. Yes, because leaving the responsibility for the care and education of the children to the mother alone is not a viable solution, we know this. This is demonstrated by the incredible number of studies and testimonies on postpartum depression, maternal burnout, but also by the fact that suicide is the second cause of mortality among mothers, at least in France.

We need to redistribute parental roles

Thanks to this Japanese study, in which participating fathers had to provide information from the frequency of their participation in certain parental tasks, such as changing the baby’s diapers, helping him fall asleep or feeding him, the observation is clear. There is still evidence that it is imperative that fathers fully and fully understand their role, for the better development of children and to protect the mental health of mothers.

And this involvement will only be possible, especially in France, with a real exit from the social model that distributes parental roles – because, as unfortunately happens, currently it is the majority of mothers who manage the little ones – therefore a review of paternity leave and parental leave, truly shared, fair and just leaveso that women are no longer the only ones confined to the house when a child is born.

In the case of heterosexual couples, mothers should no longer be solely responsible for their children, their mental and physical health is at stake. And thanks to this study we now know that the same is true for children too.