What makes a great daddy

I reckon teaching our kids to be human means we have to show our own humanity, as often as possible. Showing delight in our children through fun and play. The benefits of dads playing has been researched, particularly the rough and tumble play. It teaches our kids to regulate their feelings and accept limits and boundaries.

Model a healthy work ethic as a source of personal accomplishment and satisfaction. Nav Menu. Expo Dashboard Login. Pre-conception Fertility. Loading Facebook Like button In no particular order: 1. To foster this connection, some scientists have argued that healthy women and newborns should return home as soon as possible after delivery, especially if the father is not allowed to stay overnight in the hospital.

But pregnancy and labor are when the groundwork for the father effect begins, and its importance cannot be overstated. First of all, showing up is half the battle. Dads who live with their kids and take time out of their days to attend important events are far more likely to have a positive impact than absent fathers. For dads who live apart from their kids, there are limited options. Being around is one thing; being engaged is another.

Warmth is also a key factor. Fathers who spend a lot of time with their kids but are dismissive or insulting tend to have only negative impacts. These short-term reactions are very different than the long-term effects of dad being around. One study found that infants attained higher cognitive scores at age 1 if their fathers were involved in their lives when they were 1 month old. Preterm infants similarly score higher at 36 months if their dads play an active role from birth.

A separate study found that infants who played with their dads at 9 months enjoyed similar benefits. When infants transition into toddlers, the father effect becomes even more pronounced. Studies suggest that when fathers are involved in everyday tasks — dinner, playing in the backyard — rather than expansive but one-off trips, toddlers and young children benefit.

Dads also seem to offer a unique touch, with at least one study suggesting that fathers are better than mothers at teaching children how to swim because they are less overprotective and more likely to let their children venture into the deep end or swim facing away from them.

As anecdotal evidence indicates, sons especially need their dads. In the book Do Fathers Matter? Similar studies cited in the book show that sons who grow up without fathers or with disengaged fathers tend to be less popular in preschool.

Broadly, the research suggests that boys lean on their fathers more than anyone else as they develop social skills. Kids — even very young kids — need their dads. They do not like if you are snooping on them. But this does not mean that you withdraw from your responsibility of taking care of them. Most parenting requirements are the same for a girl and a boy, but a father needs to understand the subtle changes that he needs to make.

For boys, their dad is a role model while for a girl he is a superhero who will influence her self-esteem and sense of identity. Your family is unique and so are the circumstances in which you nurture your children. You are the person who sets rules at home, and you are the one who enforces them. Children need both support and discipline. It is easy for the parents to split the jobs, with the mother being soft and father being tough. Only you know that you love them, and you are enforcing the rules for their good.

Make them know your softer side so that they understand why you are tough sometimes. As a child, you must have seen your father just the way your sons see you now. Now that you are a father, you can understand your dad better. You will realize the rationale between the way he behaved with you on certain occasions. This understanding will help you correct your way of parenting your sons. You will know what will hurt him and what will make him see your point.

Talk to your father, ask him about his struggle when you were a kid, take his advice, as he has been there and seen that. When your son comes to you for a solution, help him do it by himself. Support and guide him, tell him what you did when you were in such a situation, but let him deal with it.

Do not jump to do the work for him. It is the only thing that you can truly give. Dedicate a certain slot every day for one-on-one time with your son and let him decide what you will both do together. You may play football together, watch TV, read a book or bake a cake. He gets your undivided attention, he gets, for a change, to be in control, and you get to discover the inner life of your son. Do not avoid the topic. If you do, your son will get information from elsewhere, and that could be harmful to him.

Make him understand the changes in his body, talk about the sexual urges he might have, explain the relationship that he should have with women and how he should behave with them. Do not hesitate to apologize to your wife, your kids or anybody else. Remember, you son is watching you, and he will emulate you.

Let him learn that it is OK to be wrong sometimes and it is not a taboo. Love and respect your partner. Your son will know that he needs to respect women. Above all, he will respect his mother and understands that he needs to listen to his mother as much as he listens to you. Being a man, you can understand your son well, and empathize with him. You know what he is going through as a child or a teenager or a grown up man. However, with daughters it is different. You need to make an effort to put yourself in her shoes, and that is not easy.

Fathers have an ability to influence the lives of their daughters — either positively or negatively. How a dad behaves with his daughter will decide how she thinks of herself and how she expects to be treated by other men in her life.

For more tips, including how to make your dad happy by doing well at school, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No. Log in Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers. Please log in with your username or email to continue. No account yet? Create an account. Edit this Article.

We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article parts. Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Article Summary. Part 1. Spend time with him. It can be difficult to spend time with your dad, especially during school days as your schedule is busy and your dad is at work.

Making that extra effort to spend time with him and share your opinions and thoughts will strengthen the bond between you. Try to have at least one meal with him in a day. If your dad shares things too, show him you were listening by asking him about it later. Learn about his life. Take time to ask your dad about his youth, his dreams, his career, his favourite memories.

These are stories to cherish as you grow older. They might also help you understand his values. Listen to him and be genuinely curious. Listening shows you care and helps you connect with your dad more. Avoid arguments. If you can, sit down and have a drink of cool water. This should help you calm down. He may have a valid reason for not allowing you to do something or for thinking a different way.

What you may see as a restriction may be his way of protection. If your dad is upset, try to think of other reasons that he could be upset. Is he tired? Did he have a long day at work? Is he stressed out about something? He may not be upset because of you.

Ask him for advice. Consider asking your dad for advice on school work or friendships or matters of finance if you have or are seeking a job. This will show him his opinion matters.