"Dad" redirects here. For other uses, see Dad (disambiguation).

"Daddy" redirects here. For other uses, see Daddy (disambiguation).

"Fatherhood" redirects here. For other uses, see Fatherhood (disambiguation).

A father is traditionally the male parent of a child. Like mothers, fathers may be categorised according to their biological, social or legal relationship with the child. Historically, the biological relationship paternity has been determinative of fatherhood. However, proof of paternity has been intrinsically problematic and so social rules often determined who would be regarded as a father e.g. the husband of the mother. This method of the determination of fatherhood has persisted since Roman times. The historical approach has been destabilised with the recent emergence of accurate scientific testing, particularly DNA testing. As a result, the law on fatherhood is undergoing rapid changes. In the United States, the Uniform Parentage Act essentially defines a father as a man who conceives a child through sexual intercourse.

Categories

Biological (child possesses male parent's genes)

• Natural father - the most common category: child product of man and woman
• Surprise father - where the men did not know that there was a child until possibly years afterwards
• Posthumous father - father died before children were born (or even conceived)
• Teenage father/youthful father - may be associated with premarital sexual intercourse
• Non-parental father - unmarried father whose name does not appear on child's birth certificate: does not have legal responsibility but continues to have financial responsibility (UK)
• Sperm donor father - a genetic connection but man does not have legal or financial responsibility if conducted through licensed clinics (UK)

Non-biological (social / legal relationship between father and child)

• Step-father - wife/partner has child from previous relationship
• Father-in-law - the father of one's spouse
• Adoptive father - child is adopted
• Foster father - child is fostered because the parent or guardian disowned the child
• Cockholded father - where child is the product of father's adulterous relationship
• Social father - where man takes de facto responsibility for a child (in such a situation the child is known as a "child of the family" in English law)
• Mothers's partner - assumption that current partner fills father role
• Mothers's husband - under some jurisdictions (e.g. in Quebec civil law), if the mother is married to another man, the latter will be defined as the father

Fatherhood defined by contact level with child

• Weekend/holiday father - where child(ren) only stay(s) with father at weekends, holidays, etc.
• Absent father - father reluctant to spend time with the child(ren)
• Second father - a non-parent whose contact and support is robust enough that near parental bond occurs (often used for older male siblings who significantly aid in raising a child).

Legally fatherless children

• Where man in couple originally seeking IVF treatment withdraws consent before fertilisation (UK)

A biological child of a man who, for the special reason above, is not their legal father, has no automatic right to financial support or inheritance. Legal fatherlessness refers to a legal status and not to the issue of whether the father is now dead or alive.

Terminology

The most familiar English terms for father include dad, daddy, papa, pop and pa. Other colloquial expressions include my old man.

• Romani: "dad"
• German: "vatie"
• Hebrew: "abbat"
• Yiddish: "tatti" or "tay"
• French: "pГЁre"
• Arabic: "bubba fea"
• Russian: "papa"

Religion

Father is applied to the first Person of the Blessed Trinity, according to the Christian religion. Jesus called him "Abba," a familiar term in Aramaic which can be translated as "father" in modern English.

Father is also the title given to Priests in the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christian Churches, as well as several other denominations. Father is the regular form of address used when speaking to or referring to priests from these churches. Fundamentalist Protestants believe priests should not be called "Father" because of Mat 23:9 which, they feel, is taken out of context to support this view.

Catholic & Orthodox Christians give this title to their clergy because they believe that all Christian believers make up the Body of Christ (or the Church). They believe that the clergy who receive this title are spiritual fathers because as one is a member of the Body, so there are also "elders,", "rabbis," and other leaders. Father can be translated as an elder because it presumes that one has, because of age or study, wisdom and knowledge of the doctrines of the Church. St. Paul also refers to himself as having spiritually begotten his fellow Christians in Christ due to their "new birth" (or baptism) as in 1 Cor 2:15, 2 Tim 1:2, 2 Tim 2:1, 1 Tim 5:1, Titus 1:4, 1 Pet 1:18, 2 Pet 3:4, 1 Jn 2:13, etc.

The title father is also applied to certain influential early Christian figures:

• Church father
• Apostolic fathers

See also godfather.

Philosophical fatherhood

Father can also refer metaphorically to a person who is considered the founder of a body of knowledge or of an institution. In such context the meaning of "father" is similar to that of "founder". See List of people known as the father or mother of something.

See also

• Paternal bond
• Sociology of fatherhood
• Non-human fatherhood
• Marriage strike
• Fathers' rights
• Stay at home dad

External links

• malecare.com - "New Dad Show" Hints and strategies for raising a child /Free internet radio show / podcast about fatherhood, families, being a New dadNew mom Show podcast
• WYDPodcast.com - Free weekly internet radio show / podcast about fatherhood, families, toys and tech!
• Father Involvement in Schools
• Father/Male Involvement in Early Childhood Programs
• Young Fathers: New Support Strategies
• The American Coalition for fathers and Children (ACFC)
• Irish fathers' website
• Awesome moms Online learning community for dads with free contentcs:Oteca