Sportsmanship, but not necessary sports activities, was regarded as an essential ingredient in the development of a child's characters. While the approach may differ, the need for bonding with mom and dad is equally significant. All of the fathers agreed that work and the mismanagement of time were the biggest robbers of relationships with children. No one discounted a father's responsibility to provide for his family, but all of them maintained that a healthy balance is needed between work and family. They felt that society makes it easy to use one's career as an escape.
Social influences tend to value the bond a child has with mom to be more important than with dad.
But none of the dad's questioned felt this barrier to be insurmountable. Eliminating barriers in society begins in the home. Dads must demonstrate that being involved in the home is important to them before society will start treating dads as important to the home. Dads need to take the initiative to change a diaper, clean up after dinner, give the kids their bath, and do the laundry. The entire group affirmed that not having a father would make it more difficult but not impossible to bond with a child.