Dwiana Octafia

The Role of Fathers in Religious Education for Children Age 5-6 Years

Introduction

The role of fathers in religious education for children age 5-6 years. Explore forms, meanings, and impacts of father involvement in religious education for 5-6 year olds. Discover factors supporting/hindering their role in child character development.

Abstract

This study aims to explore the forms, meanings, and impacts of father involvement in the religious education of early childhood, specifically among children aged 5–6 years at TK Nilasari. It also analyzes the factors that either support or hinder such involvement. A qualitative case study approach was employed, with data collected through in-depth interviews with fathers, mothers, and teachers, as well as documentation of children's religious activities. Data analysis was conducted using NVivo software to organize and identify key themes systematically. The findings reveal that father involvement is manifested in various religious activities with their children, including guiding prayers, performing congregational prayers, reading prophetic stories, modeling religious practices, and utilizing Islamic digital media as educational tools. Supporting factors for father involvement include personal religious awareness, harmonious communication with the mother, enthusiastic responses from the child, flexible work schedules, and a supportive family environment. Conversely, inhibiting factors include work-related busyness, traditional gender norms that limit paternal roles in caregiving, limited understanding of religious pedagogy, and the lack of school initiatives to involve fathers in children's spiritual activities. Father involvement is shown to have a positive impact on the development of children's religious character and social skills. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on paternal roles in early childhood religious education, a topic that remains underexplored.

Review

This study, "The Role of Fathers in Religious Education for Children Age 5-6 Years," presents a timely and highly relevant exploration of an under-researched area within early childhood development. Utilizing a qualitative case study approach at TK Nilasari, the research effectively delves into the forms, meanings, and impacts of father involvement in religious education, alongside a comprehensive analysis of supporting and inhibiting factors. The abstract clearly outlines a robust methodology, leading to valuable insights into how fathers contribute to their children's spiritual and character development. Overall, this paper offers a significant and much-needed contribution to the literature by shedding light on an often-overlooked aspect of parental roles. A key strength of this study lies in its focused qualitative methodology, which enabled a deep and nuanced understanding of paternal involvement. The multi-stakeholder data collection, involving in-depth interviews with fathers, mothers, and teachers, alongside documentation of children's activities, provides a robust and triangulated perspective on the phenomenon. The systematic analysis using NVivo software further bolsters the rigor of the findings. The study's detailed revelations regarding the *forms* of involvement (e.g., guiding prayers, prophetic stories, digital media), the *positive impacts* on children's religious character and social skills, and the comprehensive identification of both *supporting* (religious awareness, communication, child's enthusiastic response, flexible work) and *inhibiting* factors (work-related busyness, traditional gender norms, pedagogical understanding, lack of school initiatives) are particularly insightful. These findings not only fill a crucial gap in the existing literature but also offer practical implications for educators, policymakers, and families seeking to foster stronger paternal engagement in early childhood religious education. While the study offers substantial contributions, a minor consideration for future work stemming from its case study design is the inherent limitation in generalizability beyond TK Nilasari. Although providing rich depth within a specific context, the findings might not fully capture the breadth of father involvement across diverse socioeconomic, cultural, or religious settings. It would be beneficial for subsequent research to explore how the identified forms, meanings, and impacts of paternal involvement, as well as the influencing factors, manifest in a broader range of educational environments or religious traditions. Additionally, while "meaning" of involvement is mentioned as an aim, expanding on fathers' subjective interpretations and deeper psychological motivations for their engagement could offer even more profound insights. Nevertheless, these are minor points for potential expansion and do not detract from the significant value and commendable execution of this important study.

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