7 - Husbands in Wives’ Shoes: Changing Social Roles in Child Care among Cameroon’s Urban Residents
Corresponding Author(s) : Henry Kam Kah
Africa Development,
Vol. 37 No. 3 (2012): Africa Development: Special Issue on Parents’ Involvement in Children’s Lives in Africa
Abstract
Childcare has for a long time been the near exclusive responsibility of women and female house mates in Cameroon and other parts of Africa but contemporary urban challenges have forced many of these women and house mates to engage in activities that limit their ability to fully devote time to child care especially in urban contexts. There is also a growing change in social attitudes among males that has led to a blurring of traditional gender roles. As a result, some aspects of children’s care have devolved to husbands or fathers. This paper challenges existing orthodoxies regarding gender roles by explaining new developments in child care by fathers among urban residents in Cameroon. What factors explain the increasing role that men are playing in the caring of their children and what implications do they have for household development and society? This paper addresses these issues using historical, anthropological, psychological and sociological methods and techniques of data collection and analyses.
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- Allen, S. and Kerry D., 2007, ‘The Effects of Father Involvement: An Updated Research Summary of the Evidence’, Father Involvement Research Alliance, Centre for Families, Work and Well-Being, University of Guelph.
- Bankole, A., Singh, S., Hussain, R., and Wulf, D., 2004, ‘Sexual Marital and Fathering Behaviour of Men in Sub-Saharan Africa’, African Population Studies, Vol. 19, No. 2, 21-42.
- Beardshaw, T., 2004, ‘From Here to Paternity’, Paper Delivered at the Fatherhood Conference, Durban, South Africa, November 24, (http://www.hsrc.ac.za/ fatherland/). 17 December 2011.
- Bray, R. and Brandt, R., 2005, ‘What is Childcare Really About? An Ethnographic Analysis of Care Relationships in a Resource-Poor Community’, Working Paper No. 139. Centre for Social Science Research (CSSR), University of Cape Town, South Africa.
- Coltrane, S., 1988, ‘Father-Child Relationships and the Status of Women: A Cross- Cultural Study’, American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 93, No. 5, 1060-1095.
- Eggebean, D. J., 2002,’The Changing Course of Fatherhood: Men’s Experiences with Children in Demographic Perspective’, Journal of Family Issues, Vol. 23, No. 4, 486-506.
- Furstenberg, F., Morgan, S. and Allison, P., 1987, ‘Paternal Participation and Children’s Well-being after Marital Dissolution’, American Sociological Review, Vol. 52, No. 5: 695-701.
- Grotberg, E., 2004, ‘Children and Caregivers: The Role of Resilience’, Paper Delivered at the International Council of Psychologists (ICP) Convention Jinan, China, July, 2004. Available online at http://resilnet.uiuc.edu/library/ grotberg2004_children-caregivers-china.pdf. 17 December 2011.
- Jackson, R., 1989, ‘The Reproduction of Parenting’, American Sociological Review, Vol. 54, No. 2: 215-32.
- Jaeckel, M. and Geldermalsen, M., 2006, ‘Gender Equality and Urban Development: Building Better Communities for All’, Global Urban Development, Vol. 2, Issue 1: 1-7.
- Khunou, G., 2006, ‘Fathers don’t Stand a Chance: Experiences of Custody, Access and Maintenance’, in Richter, L. and Morrell, R., eds., Baba: Men and Fatherhood in South Africa, Cape Town, HSRC Press. pp. 265-279.
- Lamm, J., Eickhorst, A. and Keller, H., 2007, ‘Father-Infant Interaction, Paternal Ideas about Early Child Care, and their Consequences for the Development of Children’s Self Recognition’, The Journal of Genetic Psychology, Vol. 168, No. 4: 365-79.
- Lewis, C. and Lamb, M., 2004, ‘Fathers: The Research Perspective’, in Supporting Fathers: Contributions from the International Fatherhood Summit 2003, The Hague: Bernard van Leer Foundation.
- Njopin, L., 1997, ‘Some Cameroonian Men don’t even know what Love is’, The Herald, No. 421, February 17-18.
- Nsamenang, B., 2000, ‘Fathers, Families, and Child Well-Being in Cameroon: A Review of the Literature’, Pennsylvania: National Centre on Fathers and Families.
- O’Brien, M., 2004, ‘Shared Caring: Bringing Fathers into the Frame’, EOC Working Paper Series.
- Pleck, E., 1997, ‘Paternal Involvement: Levels, Sources and Consequences’, in Lamb, M., ed., The Role of the Father in Child Development, 3rd ed., Wiley Publishers. pp. 66-103.
- Ramphele, M., 2002, Steering by the Stars: Being Young in South Africa, Cape Town: Tafelberg Publishers.
- Richter, L. and Morrell, R., eds., 2006, Baba: Men and Fatherhood in South Africa, Cape Town, HSRC Press.
- Uttal, C., 1988, ‘Cultural Values, Parents’ Beliefs, and Children’s Achievement in the United States and China’, Human Development, Vol. 31: 351-358.
References
Allen, S. and Kerry D., 2007, ‘The Effects of Father Involvement: An Updated Research Summary of the Evidence’, Father Involvement Research Alliance, Centre for Families, Work and Well-Being, University of Guelph.
Bankole, A., Singh, S., Hussain, R., and Wulf, D., 2004, ‘Sexual Marital and Fathering Behaviour of Men in Sub-Saharan Africa’, African Population Studies, Vol. 19, No. 2, 21-42.
Beardshaw, T., 2004, ‘From Here to Paternity’, Paper Delivered at the Fatherhood Conference, Durban, South Africa, November 24, (http://www.hsrc.ac.za/ fatherland/). 17 December 2011.
Bray, R. and Brandt, R., 2005, ‘What is Childcare Really About? An Ethnographic Analysis of Care Relationships in a Resource-Poor Community’, Working Paper No. 139. Centre for Social Science Research (CSSR), University of Cape Town, South Africa.
Coltrane, S., 1988, ‘Father-Child Relationships and the Status of Women: A Cross- Cultural Study’, American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 93, No. 5, 1060-1095.
Eggebean, D. J., 2002,’The Changing Course of Fatherhood: Men’s Experiences with Children in Demographic Perspective’, Journal of Family Issues, Vol. 23, No. 4, 486-506.
Furstenberg, F., Morgan, S. and Allison, P., 1987, ‘Paternal Participation and Children’s Well-being after Marital Dissolution’, American Sociological Review, Vol. 52, No. 5: 695-701.
Grotberg, E., 2004, ‘Children and Caregivers: The Role of Resilience’, Paper Delivered at the International Council of Psychologists (ICP) Convention Jinan, China, July, 2004. Available online at http://resilnet.uiuc.edu/library/ grotberg2004_children-caregivers-china.pdf. 17 December 2011.
Jackson, R., 1989, ‘The Reproduction of Parenting’, American Sociological Review, Vol. 54, No. 2: 215-32.
Jaeckel, M. and Geldermalsen, M., 2006, ‘Gender Equality and Urban Development: Building Better Communities for All’, Global Urban Development, Vol. 2, Issue 1: 1-7.
Khunou, G., 2006, ‘Fathers don’t Stand a Chance: Experiences of Custody, Access and Maintenance’, in Richter, L. and Morrell, R., eds., Baba: Men and Fatherhood in South Africa, Cape Town, HSRC Press. pp. 265-279.
Lamm, J., Eickhorst, A. and Keller, H., 2007, ‘Father-Infant Interaction, Paternal Ideas about Early Child Care, and their Consequences for the Development of Children’s Self Recognition’, The Journal of Genetic Psychology, Vol. 168, No. 4: 365-79.
Lewis, C. and Lamb, M., 2004, ‘Fathers: The Research Perspective’, in Supporting Fathers: Contributions from the International Fatherhood Summit 2003, The Hague: Bernard van Leer Foundation.
Njopin, L., 1997, ‘Some Cameroonian Men don’t even know what Love is’, The Herald, No. 421, February 17-18.
Nsamenang, B., 2000, ‘Fathers, Families, and Child Well-Being in Cameroon: A Review of the Literature’, Pennsylvania: National Centre on Fathers and Families.
O’Brien, M., 2004, ‘Shared Caring: Bringing Fathers into the Frame’, EOC Working Paper Series.
Pleck, E., 1997, ‘Paternal Involvement: Levels, Sources and Consequences’, in Lamb, M., ed., The Role of the Father in Child Development, 3rd ed., Wiley Publishers. pp. 66-103.
Ramphele, M., 2002, Steering by the Stars: Being Young in South Africa, Cape Town: Tafelberg Publishers.
Richter, L. and Morrell, R., eds., 2006, Baba: Men and Fatherhood in South Africa, Cape Town, HSRC Press.
Uttal, C., 1988, ‘Cultural Values, Parents’ Beliefs, and Children’s Achievement in the United States and China’, Human Development, Vol. 31: 351-358.