Definition and meaning of parenthood

Parents are individuals who bore another being who is a generation younger than them. A man and a woman who gave life to a child are called biological parents because the younger person contains the genes, as well as some of their biological features. However, to be considered parents of a child does not only involve the similarities and the possession of biological factors that the two generations share. Other aspects such as unconditional love and care are involved in order for an individual to be called a parent. No other feelings could ever be identical to the love that the parents have for the child. Their care extends even when the child becomes an adult.
One of the most significant half of parenthood is the father. In the society, fathers are often considered the stronger and the more reliable one between the parents. He is one who is expected to provide the financial needs of the child and the other parent, which is the mother, especially in a conservative society. They are often not expected to stay at home and take care of the child. Instead, they should be working hard to provide the family its basic needs – food, clothing, and shelter. In addition, fathers have to make sure the child will become successful in the future. To prepare the child for its future, the father should guarantee the education of the child in order to equip him with the knowledge an understanding of his environment and the society the offspring lives in. The father’s role as a parent is more crucial than the other. A part of his responsibility is to become a respectable role model to the child. He has to become someone the child could looks up to. A father should demonstrate an image of authority, yet with a soft heart that softens when it comes to family issues.
Being a parent, on the other hand, should not be based on the genetic make-up that individuals share with each other. When people assume the responsibility of being a parent to an individual, that is providing the younger one’s basic material and emotional needs, they may already be considered a parent.
Reference:
Morey, R. Basic Needs of Man in Society. The Journal of Educational Research. Vol. 34, No. 1
(Sep., 1940), pp. 1-14. November 15, 2012.