Black dads are more likely to play, dress and share a meal with their child, data shows

Subject

Black dads; Research; Fatherhood, Black American Dad Foundation

Description

As he was growing up, Jeremy Givens says the narrative he heard around Black fathers was different than the one he lived.

In movies, television and generalized conversation, they were portrayed as absent, not engaged and overall, not very good fathers, he said.

“In my own experiences — not just with my father but with my uncles and my colleagues and my grandfathers — it was something that was polar opposite, something that was wonderful, that was inspiring, that was nourishing,” Givens said.

Now a father himself, Givens is president and executive director of the Black American Dad Foundation, an organization aiming to counter biased perceptions of Black fathers with firsthand accounts.

Father’s Day this year falls a day before Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, and fathers and mental health experts told CNN they are sharing the importance of fatherhood and their experience with and as Black dads.

Fathers are important for helping their children see all they can be, said Dr. Jennifer Noble, a licensed psychologist based in Los Angeles.

Seeing both moms and dads changing a diaper, nurturing a child and engaging in play helps boys and girls relate to both of their parents, she said.

“Therefore, as a kid, I get to identify both versions of it, and figure out what fits best for me,” Noble said.

Creator

By Madeline Holcombe, CNN

Source

https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/18/health/black-dads-wellness/index.html#:~:text=actor’s%20remains%20identified.-,Black%20dads%20are%20more%20likely%20to%20play%2C%20dress%20and%20share,with%20their%20child%2C%20data%20shows&text=Movies%2C%20TV%20shows%20and%20news,the%20Black%20American%20Dad%20Foundation.

Publisher

cnn.com

File