Paternity Tests – Making a Difference to Daddy
The more involved fathers are with their children, the bigger the potential blow paternity tests can deliver.
Fathers are more involved with their children these days than ever before. Of course there are always those fathers who put work before family, or 'absent' fathers not wanting to bear responsibility for their children, but for the most part, children are seeing a great deal more of their fathers than in previous generations.
Paternity tests - social changes
Social changes and new legislation have caused fathers to spend more time with their families, from enhanced paternity leave at birth to flexible working hours so that they can take children to school or spend time with them during holidays. Television programmes, adverts and media articles focus on the importance of a good father, giving guidance and advice on how best to tackle difficult issues and provide role models or examples of good fatherhood.
Paternity tests - the implications
For those fathers who have committed wholeheartedly to their responsibilities it can be a shock to discover they may not have a biological relationship with the child. For most men a biological relationship is very important, no matter how much they love the child, and it can be devastating to have that relationship questioned or even disproved. How a father reacts to the news is as important for their own wellbeing as it is for that of the child.
Paternity tests provide the only way to truly establish if you are the father of the child or not. Paternity tests are based on the matching of DNA samples taken from the alleged father, the mother and the child. This enables a clinic to say with over 99.9% accuracy if you are the father.
Paternity tests - disappointment
Paternity tests may not provide the result you’re hoping for, so prepare for how you may react if the news is disappointing. Would you abandon a child you worked so hard to bring up? Would you maintain your relationship, even if the mother or child decided to track down the true biological father? Is it too late to have your own family now? All of these questions can be dealt with if you seek support before and after you taking paternity tests. |
