Making A Difference To Daddy

Today’s fathers are more involved with their children than ever before. Of course, there are always those fathers who put work before family, or who are “absent” fathers; not wanting to bear any responsibility for their children but, for the most part, children are seeing a great deal more of their fathers than the generations before them.

Social changes and new legislation have encouraged fathers to spend much more time with the family – from enhanced paternity leave at birth, to flexible working hours so that they can take children to school, or spend time with them during the holidays. Television programmes, advertisements and media articles focus on the importance of a good father, give guidance and advice on how to approach difficult issues and provide role models or examples of “good” fatherhood.

Paternity Tests Surprise

For those fathers who have entered into their responsibilities wholeheartedly, it can be an enormous shock to discover that they may not have a biological relationship with the child. For most men, no matter how much they love the child, a biological relationship is incredibly important, and it can be devastating to have that relationship questioned. How a father reacts to the news is as important for their own wellbeing as it is for the child’s.

The only way to find out if you are the father of the child or not is to take paternity tests. Paternity tests are based on matching DNA samples taken from the alleged father, the mother and the child. This will enable a clinic to say with over 99.99% accuracy if you are the father.

Paternity Tests – Dealing With The Results

Bear in mind that you may not get the result you’re looking for, and prepare for how you will react if the news is disappointing. Will you abandon the child you’ve worked so hard to bring up? Will you maintain your relationship, even if the mother or child decides to track down the biological father? Is it too late to have your own family now? All of these questions and more can be dealt with if you talk to someone before and after you take your paternity tests. A biological relationship doesn’t always make a good father – which is something you should remember during this stressful process.