Not Only Financial Support, Children Need Joint Activities To Grow Closeness With Father

JAKARTA - The father's presence in the child's growth and development process is not only a matter of financial support, but also includes emotional closeness which plays a very important role in the formation of children's characters.

Simple moments such as playing, exercising, or discussing with children can be an important space to build a strong inner bond. Fathers who actively interact with children not only create positive memories, but also instill a sense of security, confidence, and critical thinking skills from an early age.

Psychologist from Gadjah Mada University, Novi Poespita Candra, S.Psi., M.Si, Ph.D., emphasized the importance of father role in the formation of children's physical and mental endurance.

Aa conveyed that the father's direct involvement in physical activities with children could have a significant impact on their motor development and cognitive abilities.

"Children who grow up with physically active fathers tend to be more confident and be able to make better decisions," explained Novi as quoted by ANTARA.

He added that activities such as joint exercise or exploring new challenges are a natural means to build children's toughness and adaptive abilities.

However, according to him, closeness is not only built through physical motion. Meaningful communication, including light discussions and reflection after activities, is also an important part of the parenting process. Through open conversations, children can understand the values of life and feel strong emotional support from father figures.

In addition to father and son's relationship, Novi also highlighted the impact of the relationship between father and mother which was witnessed directly by the child.

"The way a father treats a mother will be a reflection for children in assessing the relationship, respect, and warmth of the family," he said.

It is believed that healthy and respectful relations between the two parents will also shape the child's view of the meaning of affection and cooperation in the family.

The phenomenon of "fatherless" or the lack of involvement of fathers in children's lives is also in the spotlight in Indonesia. Although physically present, many fathers are not actively emotionally and mentally involved in children's lives. This condition is seen as one of the causes of disruption to the child's growth and development process, especially in terms of character formation and emotional stability.

As a concrete step, the government through the Circular of the Minister of Population and Family Development/Head of BKKBN Number 7 of 2025, launched the Father's Movement for Children on the First Day of School. This initiative is part of a strategy to encourage greater participation from fathers in child care.

The Minister of Population and Family Development as well as the Head of the BKKBN, Wihaji, explained that the movement was an important symbol of changing parenting in the Indonesian family. He emphasized that this program is part of a quick wins initiative called the Indonesian Exemplary Father Movement (GATI).

"Through this movement, we want to shift the culture of parenting, which has tended to only rely on mothers, to become more collaborative between father and mother. This is a symbol of the transformation of father roles in Indonesian families," said Wihaji.