Out of the mouths of children: An investigation of 48- to 72-month-old children’s perceptions of father involvement

We investigated the perceptions of children aged 48 to 72 months regarding father involvement. The research employed a qualitative method and a phenomenological design. The subjects comprised 12 children aged 48-72 months who attended early childhood education. We collected data through semi-structured individual interviews and the draw-and-tell technique. Initially, we asked the children to draw their fathers and then their families. Subsequently, we provided three identical jars and asked them to use cardboard to label which jar represented 'Yes', 'Sometimes', and 'No'. Following this, we conducted semi-structured interviews with the children. We used thematic analysis to analyze the data. The research findings indicated that children perceived their fathers as more involved in themes of attention, closeness, and arbitrary occupation rather than primary care. Children stated that fathers were less engaged in primary care activities such as feeding, caring for them when sick, bathing, and dressing.