ABSTRACT
The concept of the role of fathers in families has been evolving in recent years. Rather than being primarily responsible for the material support of the family as prescribed by the traditional American father role, fathers are now considered to have an important role to play in the daily lives of their children. Fathers are expected to directly interact with their children, be available to them, and be responsible for their care (Lamb, Pleck, Charnov, & Levine, 1987). Concurrently with the expansion of the father’s expected role, rates of employment among married mothers of young children have been rising dramatically, making the two-working-parent family the predominant pattern in two-parent households with children under 5 years of age. The higher rates of employment of mothers with young children opens the possibility and opportunity (as well as potential necessity) for fathers in these families to contribute greater amounts of time and responsibility to the daily care of their children.
