Generative Fathering Defined

What is Generative Fathering?Generative fathering is a commitment to caring for the next generation through working to meet children's needs. This definition draws on Erik Erikson's ideas of development. Erikson, a prominent scholar of human development at Harvard and UC-Berkeley, proposed that an important part of adult development is enlarging a sense of self to include the next generation (one's own children and other children), and committing to care for them--what Erikson called, "generativity." Generative fathering is a process of fathers turing their hearts to the children to bless the lives of children, their own lives, and their communities.Generative fathering is hard work that falls into seven categories:

• Relationship work (working to create a healthy relationship)
• Stewardship work (providing for the physical needs and safety of children)
• Development work (changing to meet changing needs)
• Ethical work (teaching children values and helping them to relate with others in moral ways)
• Spiritual work (working to help child obtain purpose and joy)
• Recreation work (helping children relax and have fun)
• Mentoring work (Helping older children learn skills to be a successful parent)

Being generative is often a difficult task but one that brings much satisfaction to adults and necessary care for children. You can read more on this in our theory section.

Principles of The Generative Fathering PerspectiveThe generative fathering perspective invites scholars, practitioners, students and others to: