"Congratulations, Mr. Jones, it"s a girl." Fatherhood is going to have a different meaning and bring forth a different response from every man
who hears these words. Some feel proud when they receive the news, while others worry, wondering
whether they will be good fathers. Although there are some men who like children and may have had
considerable experience with them, others do not particularly care for children and spend little time with
them. Many fathers and mothers have been planning and looking forward to children for some time. For
other couples, pregnancy was an accident that both husband and wife have accepted willingly or
unwillingly.
Whatever the reaction to the birth of a child, it is clear that the change from the role of husband to that
of father is a difficult task. Yet, unfortunately, few attempts have been made to educate fathers in this
resocialization process. Although many books have been written about American mothers, only recently
has literature referred to the role of a father.
It is argued by some writers that the transition (转化) to the father"s role, although difficult, is not
nearly as great as the transition the wife must make to the mother"s role. The mother"s role seems to
require a complete transformation in daily life and highly innovative (革新性的) adaptation(适应). On
the other hand, the father"s role is less demanding and immediate. However, even though we mentioned
the fact that growing numbers of women are working outside the home, the father is still thought by many
as the breadwinner in the family.