By considering three historical stages of the father's role in the development of his child (father of the past, present, and future), one may perceive a pattern. The father of the past had a clearly defined role; however, this role did not take into account the emotional well-being of family members. Consequently, all in the family lost out, especially the mother and child. The father of the present evolved from social changes that struck at the power hold the father of the past had over his family and gave the mother much more self-determination. However, the present-day father has become confused about his role. Certainly, the child continues to lose out if the father of the present is not sure where he fits in. The father of the future has a choice. He can become a total nonentity with no role in the development of his child, or he can invest more of himself in the family on an equal basis, insure that all members' needs are adequately met, and become an important contributor to the development of his child. Finding the father a special area to take over (e.g., supervisor of the child's sex-role development or socialization, head of the household, or disciplinarian) will not help. The father certainly needs a definition of his role, but the role should give him the opportunity to fully share in all aspects of his child's growth. (RH)