Baba’s Not a Buffoon: Dads Play a Big Role in Early Childhood Development
The trope of the absentee or deadbeat dad is so pervasive that it often seems like a lazy way to motivate your protagonist. Think of your top five movies and then try to name one whose dad is a good influence, or even alive.
This was the first in my continuing dive into what dads need. Listen to Out Think the Classics: Bandit Dads for interviews on the subject.
Dads really get a bad rap, especially in TV and films geared towards families. The trope of the absentee or deadbeat dad is so pervasive that it often seems like a lazy way to motivate your protagonist. Think of your top five movies and then try to name one whose dad is a good influence, or even alive.
Unfortunately, living internationally tends to exacerbate these stereotypes, since 85 percent of families move for the father’s job, leaving their partner with that oh-so-lovely tag of “trailing,” according to the 2013 International Surveys from the Permit Foundation. Being the primary breadwinner of a family, sometimes for the first time, and often on project-based assignments, may require longer work hours and more time away from the family, which can inhibit your available playtime.