ABSTRACT
In order to gain perspective on fathering in the 21st century, it is important to understand the extent of fathers’ involvement in their children’s lives today, their involvement in the recent past, and how father involvement is linked to social and demographic characteristics of fathers and families. This chapter focuses not only on overall measures of involvement with children, but also on more detailed indicators of the time parents spend in specific activities with children, particularly caring for, playing with, and reading to them. Paternal play and reading have particular significance in promoting cognitive development. The chapter also includes measures of the warmth of the relationship between a father and his children, his monitoring of their behavior and the degree of parenting responsibility he takes, and other contributions he makes to their welfare.
