Historically, pregnancy and early infant care have been seen as primarily feminine responsibilities, with women traditionally taking on the role of “gatekeepers” for family healthcare and performing the majority of unpaid care work. The traditional masculine role in Western society was characterized by being the “breadwinner”, focused on earning money. However, the role of fatherhood is undergoing a transformation, with more fathers adopting a greater physical and emotional presence in childcare and homelife. Fathers are increasingly recognized as active members of the parenting team who make a vital and unique contribution to early child development.
Research indicates that children who receive positive involvement from their fathers tend to have better short- and long-term outcomes socially, emotionally, and academically. Father involvement can help reduce children’s negative emotional and behavioural problems and improve cognitive development and academic achievement. Studies show that a father’s involvement can reduce the likelihood of delinquent behavior, drug use, and anti-social behavior in children. The attachment formed between a father and child in the early stages of life can have a long-lasting positive impact on the child’s life chances.
Crucially, research suggests that the quality of time spent with children matters more than the absolute amount of time. Specifically, time spent in educational and enrichment activities, such as playing and reading, appears to have the most significant positive impact on child outcomes. Furthermore, a father’s emotional and psychological involvement, particularly how new fathers perceive themselves and adjust to their roles, is linked to positive behavioral outcomes in children. Fathers’ confidence in their parenting roles and their psychological perception of themselves as fathers also significantly impacts outcomes for their children.
Beyond the direct benefits for children, father engagement also positively impacts the entire family unit. Engagement of fathers in maternity care has been shown to provide benefits for the mother and baby by facilitating practical and emotional support. An involved father can also help protect women against postnatal depression. Sharing care responsibilities can improve mothers’ well-being and reduce their stress levels. Joint parenting time, or time spent with both parents together, appears to positively affect children’s emotional well-being and can lead to reduced externalizing problems and substance abuse in adolescents. Furthermore, positive engagement of fathers in family healthcare and responding to their needs may help improve safety within the family unit. Active participation in parenting can also improve fathers’ emotional well-being, deepen their connection with their children, and enhance communication abilities.
Despite the clear benefits, fathers can face multiple barriers to engagement, including negative social factors such as gender bias and restrictive gender norms. Gender norms, the unspoken rules governing societal behaviors for men and women, are powerful determinants of health and well-being. Caregiving has traditionally been viewed as a mother’s role. Studies indicate that while many fathers desire greater involvement, they may feel unable to do so due to fear of negatively impacting their careers and persistent societal expectations of fathers as breadwinners.
To address these challenges and promote active fatherhood in India, Sesame Workshop India’s “Daddy Cool” initiative was launched in Lucknow and has been running for five years, aiming to challenge restrictive gender norms in parenting and empower fathers to take a more active role in child-rearing. The program recognizes that fathers dedicating more time to caregiving strengthens emotional bonds, enhances children’s cognitive and social skills, and improves communication. Traditionally, fathers have been seen primarily as breadwinners in India, with limited expectations for active parenting, leading to mothers shouldering most responsibilities and children potentially missing out on strong emotional bonds with their fathers.
The Daddy Cool approach focuses on three key aspects of involvement: Accessibility (physical and emotional presence), Engagement (active participation in one-on-one activities), and Responsibility (taking ownership of the child’s care and well-being). The initiative began by creating safe spaces for fathers in urban slums to explore parenting through play, building curriculum, equipping fathers with responsive caregiving skills, and gently challenging gender norms through workshops, storytelling, and digital media.
Building on this, Sesame Workshop India introduced “Bol Daddy Bol”, a WhatsApp-based chatbot designed to help fathers learn, reflect, and engage with their children at their own pace, anytime, anywhere. This chatbot serves as a judgment-free, accessible digital ally, helping dads learn how to support their child’s learning, build better connections, and gain confidence in being more hands-on, thereby challenging outdated parenting stereotypes. Initiatives like Daddy Cool and Bol Daddy Bol demonstrate that empowering fathers to care leads to thriving families, flourishing children, and movement towards a more equal and supportive society. When fathers step up, engage, and grow, fatherhood becomes about joy, connection, and making a significant difference in a child’s life.