African American, White and Latino Fathers’ Activities with their Sons and Daughters in Early Childhood

We examined the activities that low-income, ethnically diverse fathers of sons versus daughters engage in with their children
in the preschool years. African American, Latino, and White fathers (N = 426) from research sites across the United States, were interviewed about their caregiving, play, literacy, and visiting
activities when their children were 2 years, 3 years, and preschool age. Fathers of boys engaged more frequently in physical
play than fathers of girls, whereas fathers of girls engaged more frequently in literacy activities. Moreover, gendered patterns
of father engagement were already evident at the 2-year assessment, suggesting that fathers channel their children toward
gender-typed activities well before their children have a clear understanding of gender roles. Ethnic differences were also
found in fathers’ activities with children, and child gender moderated ethnic patterns of behavior. For example, Black fathers
of sons reported the highest levels of engagement in caregiving, play and visiting activities, and both Latino and African
American fathers of sons engaged in more visiting activities compared to White fathers of sons. Fathers’ education and marital
status were also associated with fathers’ activities. Married fathers and those with a high school diploma more frequently
engaged in literacy activities than unmarried fathers without a diploma; moreover, although Latino fathers engaged less in
caregiving activities than African American and White fathers, this difference attenuated after controlling for differences
in fathers’ education. The activities children share with their fathers vary by child gender, race/ethnicity, and family circumstances
and offer insight into early gendered experiences in the family.