Father is as father does

Geof Brown

TWO PROMINENT women, both achievers in the fields of politics and social development, have at different times spoken to me of the positive and even inspiring influence of their fathers in their personal development. As Father's Day this Sunday approaches, I hope they won't mind that they are singled out to represent thousands of others in our society. They are the Hon. Portia Simpson Miller, Minister of Tourism and Sports and Ms. Selena Tapper, Executive Director of the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica.

Many will say that these two worthy persons represent a minority. Because far more is heard and said about the non-performing, absentee and/or delinquent fathers than about the caring, nurturing, responsible fathers - guiding, supporting and inspiring their offspring such as Portia Simpson Miller and Selena Tapper. Yet we can do better than simply praise some fathers and blame most. The research and factual data are available to inform and educate us. More of this later.

Father is as father does. Fathering is not a matter of a biological begetter living with mother and children. Ask many children of privileged middle and upper class families, well provided for materially - but seeing and interacting with fathers like ships passing in the night. Nor is it lack of responsible fathering when a non-resident (or "visiting") father regularly supports his child materially and emotionally, giving quality time instead of quantity time to his offspring.

Professor Barry Chevannes, Dean of the Faculty of Social Science, U.W.I. and Mrs. Janet Brown, head of the Caribbean Child Development Centre, U.W.I. have jointly and individually conducted and published illuminating research on the status and contribution of Caribbean men as fathers. We owe it to ourselves to explore their work, together with that of others such as Olive Senior, Professor Patricia Anderson, Dr. Samras-Vaughn (see my column on her recent study, May 18).

Indeed both Mrs. Brown and Professor Chevannes received signal recognition at the International Fatherhood Conference held in Atlanta end of May (see my column June 1). Professor Chevannes was among a select few receiving an award for distinguished work on fatherhood and Mrs. Brown was one of the presenters at the conference, receiving much attention not only for her presentation but for her work which broke new ground in the Caribbean research on gender socialisation.

Readers should get acquainted with the work of Chevannes and Brown as well as others. "Why Man Stay So: Tie the Heifer, loose the Bull" is a book by both authors obtainable at the U.W.I., reporting on their study of man's family roles, carried out in Jamaica, Guyana and Dominica. "Learning to Be a Man; Culture, Socialisation and Gender Identity in the Caribbean" is a recently published book by Barry Chevannes, building on the work of Brown and himself plus his own work. Other studies by researchers such as Hyacinth Evans, W. Bailey, C. Branche, P. Hamilton, J. Jackson, A. Lee, A. Wynter and G. McGarrity, are also available at U.W.I.

These studies not only dethrone stereotypes, but confirm what new insights and information are emerging in similar studies from around the world. Most fathers, it turns out, care deeply about their children - but when they cannot financially provide support, they are either rejected by the mother partner or out of shame or poor self-esteem, retreat from the father role. And fathers have as much meaning for children as children have for them. Children without fathering feel incomplete; a Latin expression describes this as "You are the other me".

Fathers are now increasingly seen fighting for custody of their children - a sign of another surprise - fathers wanting to nurture not unlike mothers. Even "visiting" or non-resident fathers turn out to be much more supportive financially and otherwise than the stereotypes suggest. In short there are far more men wanting to be responsible fathers than is popularly believed.

But is research being put to use in programmes to improve father effectiveness? Yes, both here and internationally. Fathers' Incorporated, a Jamaican grouping of fathers facilitated by Dr. Chevannes, grew out of Janet Brown's Caribbean Child Development Study and workshop (CCDC) 1991. It has developed from a small group of lower-income men to a ten-year-old organisation promoting and initiating several programmes to develop responsible fathering.

"How Man Really Feel" is a drama series resulting from the studies of Chevannes and Brown. It has been used on radio programmes around the Caribbean and is available at the CCDC as audiotapes. "Man on the Move" is a spirit-based campaign to promote responsible fathering, based in Maryland, U.S.A. Through direct counselling, workshops and seminars, men who are teen fathers or single fathers are assisted to improve fathering skills. The New Mexico Young Fathers Project, U.S.A., is providing counselling, employment opportunities and parenting skills for young fathers, in an outreach mode.

These local and international examples of research being put into action hold out more than hope that there is now a growing movement towards ensuring that the child's welfare is secured by having the full care of both, not just one parent.

Father doing what father should be doing, is the goal.

Geof Brown is an HRD consultant who lectures part-time at the University of the West Indies. E-mail:

browngeof@hotmail.com

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