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Through the social representations widower fathers have of parenthood in Algerian families, our article examines the logics at work and the meaning that widower fathers give to their parenting. Based on a number of clinical situations, we seek to understand how fathers who are widowers are led to take charge of their child and manage their parental role, and the ways in which the family can help these fathers. For this purpose, a qualitative study based on semi-directive interviews showed that the representations of parenthood vary according to the type of family, extended or nuclear. Fathers from nuclear families see parenthood as an extension of the role of the absent mother, more or less restrictive. They take on womanly tasks as defined by tradition. In extended families, parental functions are performed by different individuals who take on a parental role. These fathers are supported in their parental role.