For most men, the prospect of fatherhood jolts them out of their Carefree Romeo days. While some dads may not get the impact in the coursework of pregnancy, their world goes topsy – turvy the moment they find themselves holding the newborn. The transformation does not finish there.
The journey to parenthood after that continues to have a greater impact on men’s sense of purpose and meaning in life than any other transition that they face. The impact is greater on more youthful dads because they are still children themselves. They are faced with this challenge when they still in the method of building their own sense of identity. Fatherhood also comes to them at a time when they are at an important stage of building their career and finances.
Fatherhood, therefore, leads more youthful dads to finish up thinking about their lost sense of independence. They now feel fenced in by the responsibility of fatherhood. Secondly, because they may not have yet built a powerful financial base, they are faced with the prospect of making ends meet with the increased expenses.
Older dads tend to worry before childbirth, fearing complications like autism, which are more likely for older dads. However, three times the infant is born and the infant is normal, older dads are better prepared to take on the role of a dad. They are at a stage when they have mastered the skills of interdependence, and therefore have no fear of losing their independence. Older dads also tend to be better off financially, having concentrated on their career in their more youthful days. Their focus, therefore, is usually on how they can be great dads to their children.
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