Absentee Father: Causes and Imolications On Children

Absentee Father: Causes and Implications On Children

Absentee father is a worldwide growing problem. It is a situation in which the father is separated from the home. Hence, he is not there to provide support and care in the development of the children. This is so because a father is not only meant to provide for the family, but he is also there to nurture the children, to see to it that they turn out right. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Most children without father, foster father or a father figure become a menace to society. Since there is no discipline which is mostly attributed to fathers, their case becomes a serious concern. It is not only the children who are at the receiving end of absentee fathers, wives too suffer untold hardships.

Apart from the companionship that a man provides, his absence in the home is greatly felt. A woman’s attention becomes divided and at the same time her duties are multiplied. She is at one point, the provider, the mother, and also the disciplinarian. There is a limit to the discipline that a mother can give to her children. This duty is largely reposed in the menfolk, and if the man is absent, the home is in grave danger. In this article, causes of absentee father will be examined and its implications on the children.

An estimated 24.7 million children are without fathers according to the US Census Bureau, published by Fatherhood.org. In a similar vein, 2.7 million children are without a father figure at home in the United Kingdom. This is to say that absentee fathers are a serious societal problem. If fatherlessness were to be a disease, it would be a worldwide pandemic more serious and deadlier than COVID 19. Fathers who are present in the home but emotionally distant are also classified under absentee fathers. Below are causes leading to children being tagged fatherless.

Causes of absentee father

Divorce

One major cause of absentee fathers is largely divorce. When the man is separated from his wife, the children are made to bear the brunt. When this happens, there is lack of proper monitoring, and this will affect both children and their mother.

2. Incarceration

Another cause of absentee father is when the father is serving a term in prison for an offence. Even if the father may not intentionally abandon his children, his incarceration has erected a wall between himself and his children.

3. Unplanned pregnancies

When pregnancy happens, and the man is not prepared for such, it could lead to his being absent if he walks away from both the woman and the unborn child.

4. Death

The death of a father is automatically a cause for fatherlessness. Even if this isn’t planned by the man, his absence will have a devastating effect on his family.

The above cause of absentee father is not exhausted. It is just to give an idea of what the concept means.

Effects of absentee father on children

Poor academic performance

Children with absent fathers are most likely to suffer in their academics. The absence of a father’s guide will make them lose interest in academics.

2. Social miscreants

Children who lack a father figure can develop social vices which may not necessarily be the case should the father be present.

3. Molestation

Both female and male children often become prey in the hands of their stepfathers or their stepbrothers. This could happen when they are left in the care of such men.

4. Social stigmatization

Children often suffer stigmatization from society when they are made to see their absent fathers as worthless and irresponsible.

5. Low self esteem

Sometimes children with absent fathers often blame themselves for being responsible for the absence of their father. This feeling often results in low self-esteem which can create a deep scar in their heart.

6. Disobedience to authorities

The absence of a male figure to look up to as a father often makes children wrestle with authority because they feel they are unnecessarily treated harshly because of their lack of father.

Absentee or absent father is a social problem that will continually deepen as society develops. However, the onus rests on both fathers and mothers to prioritize the well-being of the children above marital issues. If this is kept at the front burners of families, fatherlessness may gradually decline.