A great deal of research has been conducted to address these questions. And the findings may surprise you. Children with fathers involved in their lives tend to make better grades in school. This is not an accident. The child whose father is actively involved in his or her life also typically has fewer behavioral problems in school.
Fathers are often more authoritative, focusing more on morality and discipline.
Hence the child is less likely to reject or defy other authorities. For the same reasons, when the father is involved, the child is less likely to get in trouble with the law. When the father is involved, the child tends to have higher self-esteem. The importance of this effect can hardly be overstated. They do better in school.