Volume 04 Issue 08-2024
151
American Journal Of Social Sciences And Humanity Research
(ISSN
–
2771-2141)
VOLUME
04
ISSUE
08
P
AGES
:
151-157
OCLC
–
1121105677
Publisher:
Oscar Publishing Services
Servi
ABSTRACT
The concept of equal parenting is becoming increasingly important in modern society. This model of parenthood
promotes the emotional well-being of children, improves the psycho-emotional state of parents and creates a
harmonious family atmosphere. The equal distribution of responsibilities helps to reduce stress, supports the
professional and personal fulfillment of parents, and also contributes to the destruction of gender stereotypes. As a
result, equal parenting creates a solid foundation for family well-being and sustainability, positively affecting all family
members and society as a whole.
KEYWORDS
Equal parenthood, family well-being, emotional connection, psychological support, work-life balance, professional
realization, gender equality, family resilience.
INTRODUCTION
Statement of the problem
The concept of equal parenting means greater
involvement of fathers in the care and development of
the child, a more equal distribution of parental
responsibilities between the mother and father as one
of the factors of family well-being. In modern
conditions of significant changes in views on the
gender roles of parents in family life, the concept of
equal parenting is becoming increasingly relevant. This
concept implies equal participation of both parents in
the upbringing and care of children, which contributes
Research Article
THE CONCEPT OF EQUAL PARENTING: A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR
FAMILY WELL-BEING (WORLD PRACTICE)
Submission Date:
Aug 09, 2024,
Accepted Date:
Aug 14, 2024,
Published Date:
Aug 19, 2024
Crossref doi:
https://doi.org/10.37547/ajsshr/Volume04Issue08-10
Fanya Axmedshina
Jizzakh State Pedagogical University, Uzbekistan
Journal
Website:
https://theusajournals.
com/index.php/ajsshr
Copyright:
Original
content from this work
may be used under the
terms of the creative
commons
attributes
4.0 licence.
Volume 04 Issue 08-2024
152
American Journal Of Social Sciences And Humanity Research
(ISSN
–
2771-2141)
VOLUME
04
ISSUE
08
P
AGES
:
151-157
OCLC
–
1121105677
Publisher:
Oscar Publishing Services
Servi
not only to family well-being, but also has a positive
effect on the development of children and the quality
of life of both parents.
For centuries, all over the world, the man in the family
has been the main breadwinner and protector, and the
woman has carried out the traditional function of
caring for children and "keeping the hearth". With the
change in historical conditions of development, many
spheres of human activity are transformed. Including in
the field of family orders and models. With the increase
in the activity of women in the economic sphere, the
patriarchal model of the family began to collapse and
the need to revise the established family norms, the
role of the father in raising children was formed.
Research has confirmed that not only mothers and
children benefit from the active involvement of
fathers, but also fathers themselves. Increasing the
level of fathers' involvement in the process of raising
children has contributed to the growth of gender
equality in both professional and domestic spheres of
life. Scientists have called the increased level of
fathers' involvement in the processes of caring for
children and their development "new fatherhood" or
"responsible fatherhood".
Having first appeared in Northern European countries,
more active involvement of fathers in raising children
on an equal basis with mothers soon became the norm
and special laws on equal parenting were adopted. The
results of the implemented institutional mechanisms
ensuring the involvement of fathers in the processes of
care and education turned out to be so successful that
the Scandinavian experience began to be studied and
implemented throughout the world. Accumulated
world practice shows that the transformation of the
system of parental involvement in raising children can
be carried out at the level of public administration, the
introduction of special paternity leaves, which have
proven effective in the even distribution of child care,
housework and employment.
Presentation of the main material of the study.
Research examining the unique and important ways
that fathers influence their children has found that
when fathers are highly involved, encouraging, and
supportive of their wives, they feel better about
themselves,
have
better
pregnancies,
births,
breastfeeding, and postpartum mental health. Active
fatherhood has also been shown to have a positive
impact on the strength of family bonds. Men who are
actively involved in raising their children report feeling
happier in their marriages 10 or 20 years later [7].
Mutual support for professional aspirations, respect
for the partner’s achievements, and joint overcoming
of difficulties, as well as equality in sharing household
responsibilities, create an atmosphere of mutual
understanding and partnership, mutual respect, and
understanding between parents.
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OCLC
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Publisher:
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The traditional role of a mother as a housewife no
longer corresponds to reality in modern society, as
many of them work outside the home and have career
ambitions. Therefore, they perceive raising a child as a
partnership of two, when both parents must bear
responsibility. There are more and more examples of a
responsible approach to caring for a child from the first
days of his life. This is also evident in the example of
celebrity fathers, proving that upbringing is not only a
mother’s business, but also a father’s. Thus,
Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo was on
maternity leave with his first three children, American
actor Matthew McConaughey was on maternity leave
with his child for six months, American singer Justin
Timberlake spent the first days of his son’s life with the
child, American rapper Kanye West went on maternity
leave twice with his wife Kim Kardashian [9]. Facebook
founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg took two months
off to care for both daughters. On his initiative, the
company provides generous compensation and a 4-
month vacation, which is rare in the United States [5].
Shinjiro Koizumi, Japan's Minister of the Environment,
left his post for two weeks to be with his wife and son
[11]. Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, took two
weeks of paid leave after the birth of his child [6]. As
Alexander Feldberg, a journalist and co-author of the
book Nordic Dads, notes: “Active fatherhood is good
for everyone. It is good for the child, because it is a
pleasant change. It is good for his mother, because,
firstly, it is easier for her to cope with the child, and
secondly, she has the opportunity to return to work
earlier and not lose her qualifications. And it is, of
course, good for the father himself - both for his self-
esteem (as one of the heroes of our book says, if a
father begins to care for his own child, then for some
reason everyone around him thinks that he is a
wonderful, exceptional person), and for the
understanding that he is more than a derivative of his
own work or career. And of course, the main thing is
that involved fatherhood makes people happier. So an
increase in the number of active fathers will lead to an
increase in what sociologists call the happiness index"
[10]. Dag Lokrantz-Bernitz, CEO of the railway company
Vy Tåg AB, is sure that paternity leave has only helped
his career. In his book Nordic Dads, he says: "In a sense,
it was a psychological reboot, and I returned to work
much more active, focused and with the opportunity to
look at many things in a new way. Now I often share
my own experience with my subordinates and always
support those who want to take parental leave - both
men and women." Marriage researcher John Gottman
from the United States (where paid leave is given to
only one parent) calculated that the relationships of
67% of divorced couples deteriorated sharply with the
birth of a child. Conversely, a survey of 7,515 men and
women in Nordic countries (where leave is provided
for both) found that in couples with an equal division
of responsibilities, relationships change for the better
[10]. In today’s world, equality in marriage has a
beneficial effect on the physical, emotional, and
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psychological development of children, who, growing
up in an atmosphere of respect and equality, form their
own understanding of family relationships. They see
that success and happiness are achieved through joint
efforts and cooperation, and not through one
partner’s subordination to the other. In their
comprehensive report, “The Consequence
s of Father
Involvement: An Updated Evidence Synthesis,”
researchers Sarah Allen, PhD, and Kerry Daly, PhD,
define an involved father as “sensitive, warm, close,
friendly, supportive, intimate, nurturing, affectionate,
encouraging, comforting, and acceptin
g.” They classify
fathers as involved if their child has developed a strong
attachment to them [3]. Kinder Barometer Survey:
“Kinder®. When a little means so much” (2019) shows
that parents play an important role in all emotional
aspects (reassurance, consolation, encouragement,
congratulations,
protection…).
However,
both
parents and children regret not spending enough time
together (30% of parents noted “lack of time”, 41% in
France, 36% in Russia, 23% in Germany and 20% in Italy)
[8]. Fathers themselves feel better in many ways when
they are involved with their children. They are more
confident, effective and satisfied with their parenting
than fathers who are less involved. They evaluate their
interactions with their children more positively and
become more attentive, understanding and accepting
of their children [1a]. It turned out that the happy
moments that children share with their parents, barely
noticeable to adults, are just as significant and
important for the healthy development of their
personality as serious investments in their education
and well-being [11].
Many studies have confirmed that father involvement
can have a powerful impact on a child’s cognitive
development. This begins to become evident in infants
as young as 5 months old. By the age of 1, children
whose fathers are more involved have higher cognitive
functions. At the age of 3, they have a higher IQ. When
children reach school age, the benefits of father
involvement become even more evident across the
entire spectrum of educational competencies
–
from
getting better grades and doing better at school to
being more motivated and placing a higher value on
education [3]. American scientists have proven that
children deprived of paternal care perform worse on
cognitive tests than their peers from intact families,
receive low grades at school, and are more likely to be
depressed, withdrawn, aggressive, and promiscuous
(the latter especially applies to girls). “As a doctor, I
know first-hand the harm that a lack of parental
attention can c
ause to children,” writes Trond
-Viggo
Torgersen, a doctor and children’s ombudsman, in his
book Nordic Dads. They grow up irritable, broken,
anxious. Active fatherhood is a good way to reduce the
number of such people in society" [10].
RESULTS
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Servi
The results of studies by various scientists indicate that
fathers' involvement in raising children helps reduce
manifestations of antisocial behavior - such as drug use
and crime [1]. Studies have shown that children with
involved fathers better cope with stress and
frustration, solve problems better, and control their
emotions and impulses better. When conducting
empathy tests among elementary school children,
researchers noticed that those who had a secure
attachment to their fathers in childhood were better
able to recognize the feelings of other children and
take steps to make them feel better [3].
When fathers are involved in caring for their babies,
they become attached to their fathers, become more
cheerful and inquisitive, and they develop and explore
the world more confidently. These skills developed in
childhood are retained in later life. Children with
involved fathers have better relationships with their
siblings and peers. On the other hand, negative or
hostile relationships with fathers can lead to negative
social behavior and difficult relationships with peers.
According to a report by Allen and Daly, “In the
absence of fathers, boys are, on average, more likely to
be unhappy, sad, depressed, dependent, and
hyperactive. Girls…are more likely to become overly
dependent and to have internalizing problems such as
anxiety and depression.” Research shows that father
-
child relationships even affect a person’s future
marriage. People who had fathers are more likely to
have long-lasting, successful marriages and fewer
divorces. In fact, the quality of the father-child
relationship is the single variable that is most
consistently associated with positive life outcomes [3].
Fatherhood also affects how a father treats a mother.
In particular, it influences the father's role in the family,
whether and to what extent he supports her during
pregnancy, whether he takes part in the birth, and to
what extent he is involved in raising the child. These
relationships are influenced by the norms and ideas
accepted in the private life of the immediate social
environment. This applies both to the relationship with
the child's mother (and marital satisfaction) and to the
mother's views on the father's involvement in raising
children. Research shows that a cooperative marriage,
as well as mother-encouraged involvement in raising
children, increase father's involvement, and vice versa.
Thus, the relationship between marriage (or stable
cohabiting relationships) and parenting is stronger for
men than for women [4]. The quality of a man's
relationship with his partner can also influence his
relationship with his children. When fathers are in
good, healthy marriages, they are more likely to be
involved in childcare and have better relationships with
their children. The reason for this may be that when
men are committed to their marriage, they are
committed to everything, including their children. On
the other hand, in relationships full of conflict, fathers
are less likely to maintain good and caring relationships
with their children[1a].
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OCLC
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Publisher:
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Servi
Positive relationships between parents serve as
models for children as they develop their own
relationships in the future. “Fathers who treat their
children’s mothers with respect and who resolve
relationship conflicts in an adult, appropriate manner
are more likely to have boys who understand how they
should treat women and who are less likely to act
aggressively toward women,” according to a report
from the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services. “Girls who have caring fathers understand
what they should expect from men in their
relationships and are less likely to engage in violent or
unhealthy relationships. In contrast, studies have
shown that men who display anger, contempt, or
obstruction toward their partners (the “silent
treatment”) are more likely to h
ave anxious,
withdrawn, or antisocial children.[3] Children thrive
when their parents have consistent, respectful, and
high-quality relationships. Research shows that a
man’s emotional involvement with his children can
enhance his career in many ways, as well as protect him
from work-related stress. Paternity leave, flexible work
schedules, and telecommuting help address work-
family balance by allowing family and work life to be
more fully integrated. Children feel their father’s love
when he spends time with them. According to a report
from the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, there are three main reasons why time spent
with children is critical: “First, spending time together
allows a father to know his child better and to be
known by his chil
d. “A father can learn best about his
child’s strengths and weaknesses, hopes and fears,
aspirations and ideals by spending a lot of time with his
child. Secondly, a father who spends a lot of time with
his child is usually a better caregiver. Time spent
t
ogether makes a father more sensitive to his child’s
needs for love, attention, guidance and discipline. And
thirdly, children often actually view time as an indicator
of their parent’s love for them” [3].
CONCLUSIONS
The concept of equal parenting, in which both parents
take an equal part in raising children and in household
responsibilities, allows for better organization of
family and work life, increasing the time for personal
and professional activities for both parents. Joint
problem solving contributes to more harmonious
relationships and reduced stress, better relationships
between all family members, emotional resilience to
life’s difficulties and overall well
-being of the family. It
also serves as a role model for children, forming their
ideas about family and gender roles. Such families are
more actively involved in social life and support other
families, creating stronger and more sustainable
communities and can serve as an example for other
families. Implementing this concept into the daily life
of families can significantly improve the quality of life
of all family members and form new behavior patterns
for future generations.
Volume 04 Issue 08-2024
157
American Journal Of Social Sciences And Humanity Research
(ISSN
–
2771-2141)
VOLUME
04
ISSUE
08
P
AGES
:
151-157
OCLC
–
1121105677
Publisher:
Oscar Publishing Services
Servi
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