Such parents mean well but actually tend to overprotect, smother, and stifle normal growth. They become uneasy with a child's growing independence because their own role is threatened. These parents use empathy a great deal and try to reason with their kids. This is not so bad, but usually they are trying to reason in ways that overprotect. Children in these cases tend to become more dependent and therefore require more involvement with their parents, so it is a self-perpetuating cycle.
Some kids rebel and pull away from the smothering.
They may care, but it takes a lot to get their attention. These parents admire autonomy and give their kids plenty of room. But, unfortunately, the kids receive less supervision and less affection as well. Such dads are good at giving orders but poor at affection or empathy. You can see how these patterns can make it hard to communicate effectively.