Significance of Father’s Day

In any society, be it modern, medieval or ancient, fathers have had a significant position. There may be several relationships in a child’s life, let’s look at a father-child relationship.

He is a guide, a philosopher and more than that, a dear and most reliable friend of the child after a certain age. A child is being helped by his father to set his or her aim in life. Then he helps us in selecting the just ways of attaining our goals in life. Again, when someone gets too tired of the weariness and doldrums of life, his/her father is always there to offer the shoulders of a friend where we can rest for a while.

There is every reason of celebrating such an important relationship and Father’s Day has been designed for this purpose. It was an ancient practice of worshiping ancestors including father and mother. This tradition was maintained by the following civilizations. In the modern society, people started celebrating Mother’s Day first. Gradually, the civilization understood the necessity of Father’s Day too. Although the efforts were made in the early 20th century but it was in 1970s only when Father’s Day was recognized officially in the US by President Nixon. Gradually most of the countries acknowledged Father’s Day and started celebrating fatherhood.  Do you know when Father's day 2012 will be celebrated? If not then please note that Father's day 2012 will be celebrated on 17th June.

Now the question is that how much significance does Father’s Day get in the modern society.

Firstly, while measuring its significance, we should not compare it with Mother’s Day because it is a different occasion. A mother perform the divine right of giving birth to a child and then of nurturing him or her. This is obvious that mothers will get the special treatment. At the same time, it is also true that a father performs an important role in nurturing and raising a child and this role should also be acknowledged. In today’s society, we acknowledge this responsibility through Father’s Day.

The significance of Father’s Day is related directly to the position of a father in the family as well as in the society. Every child needs both father and mother in order to get a good mental health. In the primary stages, both father and mother remain responsible for taking some important decisions related to the education and growing up of the child. At the present time, most of the countries have patriarchal societies and because of this the fathers play the leading role in taking the above mentioned decisions.

The lifestyle of a father affects his child. If the child is a boy, he will surely try and adapt some important parts of his father’s life-style. If a father can set good examples of leading life in a healthy way, the child is bound to follow the same. Anyone, with good ideas, proper education and a healthy lifestyle, is a treasure for every society. He can not only lead his life properly but can also help others to do the same and can shape the society in a positive manner. In this way a father can contribute in the development of a whole society.

All these and many more make a father very significant in today’s modern society and because of this, celebrating this relationship and this responsibility is very significant today. Like any other part of the world, India also celebrates Father’s Day with full enthusiasm. This enthusiasm is well expressed by different kind of gifts that are sent on Father’s Day. .

Traditionally, only mother is regarded as the sole nurturer of a child. The role of father is often relegated to a secondary status as compared to a mother. But all of us know that father is just as important for a child as the mother is. If mothers are the heroes of child rearing, significance of father in the development and emotional well-being of a child is no less. Children depend on their father for their spiritual, emotional, physical, financial and social well-being. For daughters, father is the ideal man in the world and also the first man they adore, while for sons, father is an idol and the strongest man they aspire to emulate. 

Though traditionally father is seen more as a provider and guide for children, the scenario appears significantly changed in nuclear family culture of today. With most husband and wife working, fathers in present times are as involved in child rearing job as the mothers are. Today, most fathers do not shy away from changing nappy or taking the difficult task for putting the baby to sleep. This cultural change is helping in strengthening father-child relationship and consequently in emotional development of a child and building of stronger family bonds. 

A father's responsiveness to his children and his emotional availability are key characteristics of fathers that facilitate children's development. Children whose fathers participate relatively more in the emotional side of parenting (e.g., comforting) have higher self-esteem than children whose fathers are less involved. It is not appropriate to say "emotions are only for and from mom and action and activity only for and from dad." In early childhood, a father provides approval and recognition of the child and also helps the child become more autonomous and self-assertive. Child rearing in our culture involves helping the child develop more autonomous. Paternal involvement seems to predict adult adjustment better than does maternal involvement.

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With sons, fathers can imagine back to their own boyhood and imagine the child's future experience. In contrast, fathers relate to their daughters in more complex ways. They may have a hard time imagining how their daughters will turn out since they have no personal experience with knowing what it feels like being and growing up a girl.

It is crucial to note, however, that children of both sexes identify with both parents. A feminine young girl and a masculine little boy will incorporate aspects of both parents into their own personality. A father should be able to communicate to both sons and daughters that they can become like him.

Unquestionably, fathers can help their children develop a sense of competence, security, and self-control.