Absentee Father's Effects on Child Behavior

Feelings of Abandonment

• Dads have a direct impact on their children's well-being, and without them in the picture, many children are left with feelings of abandonment. When fathers live apart from their children, they may miss out on many different milestones. The children are not able to share with them what is important. They also cannot tell them about their days at school or get help for their homework assignments. These homes lack moral support from both parents. Other children start to blame themselves for their parents' divorce. They think they have done something wrong to cause their father to disappear from their lives.

Deviant Behavior

• The absence of fathers may also lead children to antisocial behavior and rebellion. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, a study of school-aged children found that those with good relationships with their fathers were less likely to exhibit disruptive behavior. They were also less likely to lie and be deceptive about their motives. Children who do not have a strong relationship with their fathers may be more likely to exhibit drug use, violence and other delinquent behavior habits, according to the Shared Parenting Group.

Academic Performance

• Children with absentee fathers are less likely to achieve high academic performance. These children may begin to feel depressed about their personal lives, and, as a result, stop caring about how well they perform in school. Fathers are not at home to help a struggling student in a class that he is taking. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, these children are more likely to drop out of high school and abandon plans for college or other postsecondary education plans.

Social Relationships

• Many children who grow up without fathers have a hard time maintaining social relationships. This is largely due to not having a healthy example in front of them. Fathers who treat mothers with respect and deal with conflict in a healthy way within the relationship are more likely to have sons who understand how to treat women when they become adults. These boys are also less likely to become involved in domestically violent relationships. They are also more likely to have daughters who know how they can expect to be treated by their partners. Children with absentee fathers often find difficulty in keeping healthy relationships as they get older.