Active Parent Equals Less Domestic Violence, Crime

Children are designed to have both parents around and actively involved during their formative years. However, due to many different factors, some families are separated making it virtually impossible for both parents to be fully involved. A research study conducted back in 2008 stresses the positive effects and active parent has in regard to a child's behavior. This particular study focused on the father figure being active in the family.

For young boys, the benefits were a reduction of problem or unacceptable behavioral levels. For young girls, the active father figure had a tremendous effect on reducing the chance of any psychological problems. This research shows that positive contact on a regular basis from both parents, among low-income families, actually reduces criminal behavior in children. This positive contact also augments language skills, language development, reasoning abilities, and intelligence levels.

Study Emphasizes Benefits of Regular, Positive Contact

The researchers pored over more than 22,300 sets of individual data from 16 different studies in the UK, USA, and Sweden. The smallest group studied was just 17 and the largest group involved data from almost 8,500 people between the ages of infant to 33 years. Dr. Anna Sarkadi of Uppsala Univeristy's Department of Women's and Children's Health stated , "Our detailed 20-year review shows that overall, children reap positive benefits if they have active and regular engagement with a father-figure."

The research plainly showed that kids who live with both a mother and a father figure did not have as many behavioral issues or problems. This simply means that if kids have the benefit of being in a home with both parents on a regular, daily basis, there are going to be less problems at school, less relationship problems, less drug problems, and less alcohol problems.

Long-Term Benefits of Active Parents

As kids grow and develop, the need for direct parental involvement becomes less. In those early formative years when kids are learning about themselves, their bodies, their friends, and their world, active parental involvement is a necessity. As children grow older and become more involved in activities outside the home, parental guidance becomes especially important.

Remember the first time you fell for that guy or girl at elementary school, got involved in a fight, or when other kids were picking on you? Having the support of both parents was especially critical then. Fathers hold an especially critical role in the development of their children, but mother's also have a vital role to play. The bottom line is that when parents are involved in the lives of their kids, those kids become better for it.

Sources:

Active vs Passive Parenting

Active Father-Figure Helps Kids

Absent Parent vs Active Parent