“Mahalaga si Tatay—hindi lang para magtrabaho, kundi para magparamdam.”
Para sa maraming pamilya sa Pilipinas, si Tatay ay kilala bilang haligi ng tahanan—ang provider, ang tagapagtanggol. Pero sa gitna ng trabaho, trapik, at pagod, minsan nawawala si Tatay sa pinakaimportanteng yugto ng buhay ng anak: ang formative years.
Pero alam mo ba? Ayon sa mga eksperto, ang presensya ni Tatay—hindi lang ang padala—ay may malalim at panghabambuhay na epekto sa development ni baby.
1. Emotional security starts with Tatay
Ayon sa Harvard Center on the Developing Child, early relationships shape the architecture of the developing brain.¹
Kapag alam ng bata na may Tatay na consistent, present, at mapagmahal, mas nagiging secure sila emotionally.
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Mas confident sila makihalubilo sa ibang tao.
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Mas marunong silang mag-manage ng emotions.
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At mas mataas ang chances nilang maging resilient sa stress habang lumalaki.
Hindi kailangan ng bonggang bonding—kahit simple lang, basta consistent.
2. Si Tatay ang unang role model ni baby
Para sa anak na babae, si Tatay ang first male figure na nakikilala niya. Dito nabubuo ang standards niya sa relationships at self-worth.
Para sa anak na lalaki, si Tatay ang nagtuturo kung paano maging mapagkalinga, marunong magpigil ng galit, at marunong rumespeto.
Sabi nga sa isang 2022 study published in Child Development, **children with involved fathers tend to have higher social competence and fewer behavioral problems.**²
3. Mas engaged si Tatay, mas okay si baby sa school
Hindi lang emotional—academic din ang epekto.
Ayon sa U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, kids with actively involved dads are more likely to excel in school and less likely to engage in risky behaviors.³
Kahit simple:
4. Unique si Tatay bilang parent—at ‘yan ang kailangan
Kadalasan, mas physical, kalog, o adventurous si Tatay. Pero ‘yan ang balance na kailangan ni baby.
Sabi ng mga child psychologists, fathers tend to challenge their kids more during play, which helps develop problem-solving and risk assessment skills.
Kung si Nanay ang comfort, si Tatay ang courage.
5. Hindi kailangang perpekto si Tatay—basta nandiyan
Presence over perfection.
Hindi kailangan maging superdad. Ang importante: ramdam ni baby na mahal siya, pinapakinggan siya, at priority siya ni Tatay.
6. Tatay is not just biological
Wala man si biological dad, pwedeng gumanap si Lolo, Tito, o isang father figure na present at mapagmahal.
Research shows that consistent male figures who are emotionally invested in a child’s life can provide the same developmental benefits.⁴
Parenting Takeaway:
Minsan akala natin sapat na ang kayod. Pero sa mata ni baby, ang oras at presensya ni Tatay ang mas matimbang kaysa kahit anong laruan.
So to all the dads reading this:
Your presence is powerful. You don’t have to be perfect—you just have to be there.
Sources:
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Harvard Center on the Developing Child. Serve and Return Interaction Shapes Brain Architecture.
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Child Development Journal, Volume 93, Issue 4 (2022).
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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – The Importance of Fathers in the Healthy Development of Children.
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Philippine Journal of Psychology, 2021. “Role of Father Figures in Filipino Child Development.”
