Fatherhood Myths

Did You Fail as a Parent — or Were You Set Up for Failure to Parent?

By: Michael A. Brown, MA, CBPI, CAMS-I I considered myself a failed parent. The definition of failed has many definition for various...

Mike Brown

Sep 18, 20256 min read

Illustration of an angry father leaving home while children cry inside, representing the cultural stereotype of a deadbeat dad.

Deadbeat Dad Is a Social Construct: What Developmental Science Really Says About Absence and Presence

Most people think an absent parent automatically harms children. But developmental science tells a different story. Erikson, Bowlby, Bronfenbrenner, and Vygotsky all show that children are not damaged by absence itself, but by harmful or unskilled presence. Labels like “deadbeat dad” are social constructs, not scientific facts. This article explores what the research actually says about absence, presence, and resilience in child development—and why we need to rethink cultural

Mike Brown

Sep 5, 20254 min read

Fatherhood Myths

Did You Fail as a Parent — or Were You Set Up for Failure to Parent?

Deadbeat Dad Is a Social Construct: What Developmental Science Really Says About Absence and Presence

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