They are also better than fathers at detecting their children's emotions by looking at their faces, postures, and gestures. Mothers are more responsive to the distinctive cries of infants: they are better able than fathers, for example, to distinguish between their baby's cry of hunger and cry of pain Infants and toddlers prefer their mothers to their fathers when they seek solace or relief from hunger, fear, sickness, or some other distress
These studies have also demonstrated the negative psychological, educational, and social effects on children who have been deprived of growing up in a home with both biological parents who are married to each other.Ī very brief summary of findings on the mothers' unique and crucial role in childhood development would include these points: A very large body of social science research going back decades has documented the vital and unique role of mothers and of fathers in childhood development.
