It perhaps goes without saying that in low-income families, it helps if both parents pull together. Nonetheless, research from Ohio State University highlights the benefits children experience when this happens.

“You can imagine that living in poverty, facing material hardship and other disadvantages could put stress on a relationship that could be negative for children,” the researchers explain. “But that’s not what we found.”

Raising kids

The research looked at how moms and dads interact with their kids and found that when both parents show love and care, it’s good for the children. The researchers collected information from 1,173 families from different backgrounds and low-income situations. This data was gathered in eight cities across the United States between 2005 and 2011.

Trained experts watched and analyzed moms and dads separately as they spent time with their 3 to 4-year-old kids. They looked at how well parents responded to their child’s actions, how warm and loving they were, and how strong the parent-child relationship was.

The results of the study were clear. When both parents were good at showing love and care, the children were better at getting along with others and being kind. Moms’ assessments revealed this. The study also checked the kids’ ability to understand words, which is important for school.

Loving and responsive

The study showed that when both parents were loving and responsive, the kids did better on the word understanding test. This shows how important it is for both parents to be loving and caring, especially in families facing economic challenges. It helps children become kinder and more ready for school.

“It was very exciting for us to see that when low-income parents engage in this mutually agreed upon way of positively parenting, there are clear benefits to their children,” the researchers explain.

The study also found that it didn’t seem to matter if the father was actually living with the mother and child, with the main thing being that they were responsive.

Not at home

“There is often this belief that if the father is not in the home, he must be absent and that’s terrible for the child,” the researchers continue. “That’s not what we found. Parents can still coordinate how they respond to their children and work together for the good of the child.”

Ultimately, the results suggest that there are clear ways to better support low-income families in the raising of their children, even if the father doesn’t happen to be living with them.

“Parenting programs could prioritize specific strategies for promoting shared parental responsiveness among mothers and fathers who are no longer romantically involved,” the researchers conclude. “That can help foster the well-being of their children.”