Today is Father’s Day! Let’s take some time to reflect on the challenges and opportunities that our fathers in T&T and in the world face.
I don’t think we need research to tell us how important it is for children to have both parents in their lives. And while the nuclear family is under threat, this does not absolve either parent from ensuring that they play a key role in their children’s lives.
As Krystine Batcho states: “Although both fathers and mothers can be sensitive and effective parents, some theorists argue that fathers serve a special role in their children’s development (Paquette, 2004)….With many fathers living separately from their children, it’s important to remember that the essence of closeness isn’t geography; it’s love. When asked if he and his father had been close, Robert De Niro reflected: ‘You can be close to people and not always see them…it is important to recognise also that fathers are impacted by their children.’”
