Waiting for Daddy's call. Social relations in the children of migrant fathers

Abstract

Paternal migration in transnational contexts has affected both economic conditions and family emotional bonds, leading to reconfigurations in the children’s psycho-emotional development and in the caregiving, roles assumed by mothers. This study aimed to examine how the father’s migration influences the development of social relationships, personal capabilities, and the psycho-emotional well-being of children or wives in transnational families. The analysis considered the socioeconomic conditions of the environment, the quality of emotional bonds maintained, and the role of information and communication technologies. The research was guided by the Capability Approach and combined a literature review of recent studies with fieldwork based on interviews and surveys. The findings revealed that, although remittances improve economic conditions, they do not compensate for emotional consequences. From a psychosocial perspective, feelings of abandonment and loneliness were identified among children, along with weakened family bonds due to migration or divorce in most cases. In fact, in nearly all families, the separation occurred at a very early age, and the migrant father is barely remembered. It was concluded that child well-being depends on the integral development of emotional and relational capabilities. Therefore, longitudinal and comparative research is recommended to further explore transnational family dynamics and their specific characteristics in different regions of Ecuador.