Father's are important for many other reasons; the father functions as a role model for the child which is crucial for any child, but particularly for the child with developmental difficulties. The male child needs to know he will grow up to be a whole man, inspite of any difficulties; in fact healthy growth is greatly thwarted when the father feels the child is inadequate. Children need to know what is right with them; they need to be cared for and praised. The fathers involvement and willingness to share responsibility, brings the family closer together and helps maintain the marital system (Osman, 1979).
Parental involvement also includes the enhancement of the child's learning ability with different techniques. Motivation for learning includes many factors, a most important one being self-concept. The child who views himself as successful, enthusiastic, and able, is more likely to meet those expectations. Parents need to provide a home environment that is warm, positive, encouraging, and supportive. One method for instilling positive learning and success is to give the child tasks that are broken down into manageable components (McNamara & McNamara, 1995).
Hahn (1987) reports an additional finding, that imaginative play, art activities, and storytelling can help children to learn and to cope. Storytelling has been used in psychotherapy with children, however, expertise in psychotherapeutic theory is not needed in order to be effective. Therapeutic storytelling is found to work best in a parent and child relationship. Stories help the child express fears and emotions and gain control of problems through the power of imagination.
Families With Children With Different Handicaps
Research shows that parent's concerns or ap
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