Starting the Conversation: Common Themes Typifying Expectant Unmarried Black Parents’ Discussions About Coparenting a First Child Together

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify recurring themes about impending coparenthood common among prenatal dyadic conversations shared between unmarried parents. Forty Black mothers and fathers expecting a first baby together met with a male-female mentor team for facilitated dialogues six times during the pregnancy, with sessions audiotaped and transcribed. Guided by basic elements of grounded theory, coders identified five cross-cutting themes discussed by coparents relevant to their coparenting expectancies: establishing the baby’s family system, supports and threats to coparenting efforts, reflecting on fatherhood—Connecting past with future father legacies, acculturating the child/ handling parenting differences, and effects of relationship status on coparenting. These themes underscored a common commitment fathers and mothers shared in figuring circumstances out for their child. Analyses portray a rich, generative, and introspective set of dialogues reflecting shared deliberation about family dynamics after the baby’s arrival. This study’s findings address a significant gap in the literature and highlight the value of narrative methodologies to understand joint narratives of unmarried Black coparents more thoroughly as they transition to new parenthood.

Randomized controlled trial of a prenatal focused coparenting consultation for unmarried black fathers and mothers: One‐year infant and family outcomes

“…It contains no didactic lessons on infant development or child‐rearing, no presumptions that parents have flawed instincts and need guidance on how to do things differently or better, no dogma or advice on the best proper pathway to follow as new parents, and no guilt‐inducing intimations that fathers are shirking responsibility unless they commit to the child's mother or register to pay child support. Parents could certainly voice their own views on or concerns about marriage, child support, or parenting issues; extended conversations about parenthood did sometimes take hold (see McKay et al., 2021). But the dialog stayed focused on coparenting, raising mindfulness about how and why it mattered for children, cultivating skills to broker tough conversations when differences in perspective arose, and beginning to tackle issues that challenged parents personally and threatened to make their building of a coparenting alliance more difficult.…”

“…Most importantly, FCC sustains a persistent focus on children across all six dyadic sessions. Readers interested in more information about the adaptation of the FCC intervention used in this study are referred to McKay et al (2021), which offers a detailed account of the intervention and common themes discussed by fathers and mothers.…”

Smaller System Predictors of Satisfaction with Low-Income Paternal Involvement of Noncustodial African American Fathers

“…There is lesser sentiment for the fragile single families, especially those comprised of NCFs with MPF. There is no uptick of collective action toward or advocacy for changing the plight of low-income families of NCFs with or without MPF (McKay et al, 2021).…”

“…It's a departure from the dead-beat dad assignation, typically used to depict unwed low-income African American fathers (Cole & Lipscomb, 2022; Higgs et al, 2018; Laakso & Adams, 2006; McKay et al, 2021). The shift in perceptions is attributed to changes in the childbirth demographics, changes in marriage and divorce rates, and the concomitant proliferation of children residing in nontraditional family structures (Carlson & Furstenberg, 2007; Guzzo & Furstenberg, 2007).…”

“…Yorks (2022) indicates that “…demographic trends among single parents are evolving along race, class, and gender lines with diversity increasing in each group” (p. 9). Despite this controversy, the institutional racism and the biased characterizations that have been linked to unwed low-income African American NCFs, they have persevered in their efforts to remain engaged and involved in the lives of their children (McKay et al, 2021; Yanez & Selekman, 2022; Yorks, 2022).…”