Why Father's Roles are So Important in Shaping Life of a Child? Learn Tips, Tricks and Strategies to Make Best Impact on Child Development!
There is no doubt that mothers play an all-important leading role in the lives of their children. They are the obvious heroes of child rearing. But what about a father's role? Just how important are the dads of the world compared to the almighty image of mother? My belief is that fathers play just as important a role as mothers. Different, yes. Possibly not as nurturing, not as all-sacrificing but just as important in the developmental and emotional well being of a child.
Dads are the solid foundation of our lives. They are the shore we swim to when our arms and legs feel increasingly tired. They are the strength we rely on as we take our first tentative steps into the world. Dads can be tender, tough, fragile or powerful but they are probably the most uncomplicated love we will ever know.
The father's role in a child's life is important as Protector, Provider and Disciplanian.
The roles played by father's in children life are most valuable and precious. So let's dive into more in this regard.
Protector.
One of the strategies we've used is encouraging fathers to baby-proof or child-proof their home when the mother is expecting.
What are the things they can do to prepare the home for the child?
That's one of the ways that men can protect their children from dangers inside the household. They can also protect their children from external dangers. This is especially important in communities where there are higher levels of violence, where there is a potential for the child to be exposed to gang activity or crime.
Moms tend to see the rest of the world in relation to their children. Fathers tend to see their children in relation to the rest of the world. Mom's traditional emphasis is that she wants to protect her child from getting hurt by forces from the outside world (e.g., bullies, strangers, mean dogs, accidents, disease). She never wants this to happen to her child. In fathers, their paternal instinct also wants to prevent bad things from happening, but if it could happen, they want to do what they can to prepare their child to cope with these types of dangers. Often, the dads will try to prepare the child to handle external dangers, such as dangerous strangers, mean dogs, lightning, bullies, falls, or accidents. Both of these roles are important for the child. Mom is protecting the child and dad is preparing the child.
Another role of the protector that fathers play is by observing the social environment and knowing the peers and friends of their children.
Also, when our children go to another family's home, do we know what is in the home?
Do they have firearms in the home?
Is it in a safe neighborhood? What do I need to do to protect my child from environments that could cause a threat to them?
Fathers also guarantee their child's safety by shaping their environment. In other words, they can look at their surroundings (e.g., the household, the neighborhood, the community) and encourage safe opportunities, as well as remove hazards from the child's path.
Provider.
As the role of provider, a father's ability to provide for his family is related to his sense of duty, his sense of identity, and his manhood. Different cultures have different messages about what it means to be a man, a husband, and a father. Many of those cultures see that one of the father's primary roles is that of a provider. That the "real men bring home the bacon," they support their family, they tend the fields or work in the factories, the mines, and the forests. Although the jobs may be dangerous, that is their responsibility as the provider for their family. As I mentioned, in many two-parent households today, fathers are no longer the sole provider, but it still is an important role that fathers fulfill in their families.
Disciplinarian.
In preparing their child for the future, fathers often have high expectations. They want their child to succeed, to see what's on the horizon, to aspire to bigger and better things. As such, fathers need to be there to teach their child how to handle their impulses, how to stay calm under stress, and how to deal with situations where they don't endanger themselves or endanger others.
Children with involved fathers tend to be more patient; and, when they are older, they can handle the stresses and frustrations associated with schooling more easily than children with less involved fathers. Children of involved fathers are less likely to get in trouble at home, in school, and in the neighborhood, and they are less likely to experience depression.
When fathers are found to be emotionally and physically remote from their infants at 3 months and again at 12 months of age, by the time they enter preschool the children were found to be more aggressive with their peers. This was particularly true for boys and occurred independently from how the mothers behaved with their infants.
Fathers who are actively involved in their babies’ lives tend to experience less conflict with their wives. This not only benefits children; it strengthens the parenting relationship which also has long-term benefits for children.
School and Career Success
Children whose fathers are involved in their daily care such as feeding, bathing and playing together, tend to be more confident; and, as they grow older, enjoy stronger social connections with peers. Research shows secure attachments have positive benefits that last into adulthood. Children who are securely attached do better academically; they are also more sociable and well-liked throughout early childhood as compared to children who do not have secure attachments.
Fathers who care for, nurture, and play with their babies raise children with higher IQs and with better language and cognitive skills. The more time fathers spend in enriching, stimulating play with their child—such as playing pretend or sharing stories—the better the child’s math and reading scores are at 10 and 11 years old.
Healthy Risk-Taking
The rough-and-tumble kind of play that fathers engage in with young children helps regulate their feelings and behavior. It teaches children how to deal with aggressive impulses and physical contact in socially acceptable ways. While mothers are more likely to form secure attachments by comforting their children when they are distressed, fathers are more likely to provide security in the context of the controlled excitement of play or discipline. This helps children learn where the boundaries of safety and risk-taking exist in the world—a very important skill that builds self-regulation and can prevent problems with aggression and violence later on.
Fathers push children beyond their comfort zone—in the best ways. Dads, typically more than moms, encourage their children to take calculated risks: trying the deep end of the pool, talking to someone new, or finding ways to overcome obstacles.
Managing Emotions of children
Father Teaches their children to recognize and name their emotions. Don't bother trying to have the conversation while they're upset, however. “When things are calm, find opportunities to talk about feelings and strategies for managing them,”
- Responding to children in a predictable way.
- Showing warmth and sensitivity.
- Having routines and household rules.
- Sharing books and talking with children.
- Supporting health and safety.
- Using appropriate discipline without harshness.
One of the most important things you can do for your child’s healthy development is to provide a loving and supportive home environment. This means creating a safe and nurturing space where your child feels loved and valued. It also means setting consistent limits and providing opportunities for exploration and play.
Another key element of promoting healthy development in children is good nutrition. Children need nutritious food to grow and develop properly. Make sure to offer your child a variety of healthy foods from all the food groups, and limit sugary drinks and snacks.
Regular physical activity is important for all children, regardless of their age or stage of development. Physical activity helps kids maintain a healthy weight, builds strong bones and muscles, and improves mental health. Encourage your child to be active every day by playing together, going for walks or bike rides, or signing up for a sports team or dance class.
There are a number of things you can do as a parent or caregiver to support your child’s mental health:
Encourage open communication:
Talk to your child about their feelings and emotions, and encourage them to express themselves freely. This will help them to understand and manage their emotions better.
Be a good role model:
Children learn by example, so it’s important to set a good example when it comes to managing your own emotions.
Show your child how to deal with stress in healthy ways, such as through exercise or relaxation techniques.
Promote positive self-esteem: Help your child to develop a positive view of themselves by praising their accomplishments and encouraging them to try new things.
Avoid putting them down or making comparisons between them and other children.
Give them plenty of love and attention:
Show your child how much you love and care for them through physical affection, such as hugs and cuddles, as well as quality time spent together doing activities they enjoy.
There are many things parents and caregivers can do to encourage cognitive development in young children.
One of the most important is to provide opportunities for them to explore, experiment, and try new things.
This can be done through simple everyday activities, such as singing nursery rhymes together, exploring different textures during bath time, or playing catch outside.
Another way to encourage cognitive development is by reading with children and talking with them about what they’re experiencing. This helps them make connections between the world around them and their own thoughts and feelings.
As children get older, it’s also important to encourage them to ask questions and think critically about what they’re learning.
It’s essential to create a supportive environment that meets all of a child’s needs – physical, emotional, social, and intellectual.
When children feel safe, loved, and respected, they are more likely to thrive in all areas of their development.
Cues for Caregiving
We know moms’ hormone levels change during pregnancy. So do Dads’! Scientists say both parents experience a rise in the hormone prolactin around the time of a baby’s birth. Prolactin promotes child-caring behaviors in both parents.
The Love Hormone
Here’s something to smile about: bonding time with your baby activates the circuits in your brain that are also involved in falling in love. When a dad has skin-to-skin contact with his baby, he releases oxytocin (sometimes knowns as the love hormone). Babies’ oxytocin levels rise, too. (Skin-to-skin contact between moms and babies has the same effect.)
Brain Rewards
MRI images provide more evidence that men’s priorities change when they have kids. Brain scans of fathers and non-fathers showed that the reward-sensing region of dad’s brains lit up when they saw pictures of toddlers. Not so in the non-dads. Another study found that in the first four months of parenting, fathers showed increases in parts of the brain involved in parental motivation, including the hypothalamus and amygdala, among others.
Getting Involved: Advice for Fathers
Ans.:
Promoting healthy development among children involves creating a nurturing environment that supports their physical, emotional, cognitive, and social well-being. Here are some key ways to promote healthy development in children:
- Provide a safe and stimulating environment: Ensure that the physical environment is safe, clean, and free from hazards.
- Create opportunities for exploration and play that stimulate their curiosity, imagination, and learning.
- Encourage healthy habits: Promote good hygiene practices, such as regular handwashing, dental care, and healthy eating habits. Encourage physical activity and limit sedentary behaviors, such as excessive screen time.
- Support emotional well-being: Foster a loving and supportive atmosphere at home, emphasizing open communication, active listening, and validation of emotions.
- Teach children appropriate ways to express their feelings and manage stress. Encourage a healthy balance between independence and support.
- Stimulate cognitive development: Engage children in age-appropriate activities that promote cognitive growth and learning.
- Read together, engage in imaginative play, provide puzzles and educational games, and encourage curiosity and critical thinking.
- Support their education and provide opportunities for intellectual challenges.
- Foster social skills and relationships: Encourage positive social interactions, sharing, and cooperation.
- Teach empathy, respect, and understanding towards others.
- Promote participation in group activities, clubs, or sports that facilitate socialization and teamwork.
- Ensure a balanced routine: Establish consistent routines for meals, sleep, and daily activities.
- Consistency helps children feel secure and provides a sense of structure.
- Encourage creativity and self-expression: Support children's artistic endeavors, such as drawing, painting, music, or writing.
- Allow them to explore their interests and express themselves in various ways.
- Be a positive role model: Children learn by observing and imitating adults.
- Model healthy behaviors, such as good communication, problem-solving, self-care, and empathy.
- Provide a supportive educational environment: Collaborate with teachers and educators to ensure that the child's educational needs are met.
- Support their learning, help with homework, and communicate regularly with their teachers to monitor progress.
- Celebrate achievements and encourage resilience: Recognize and celebrate children's accomplishments, both big and small.
- Encourage a growth mindset, emphasizing effort, perseverance, and learning from mistakes.
Comments
Post a Comment
"Thank you for seeking advice on your career journey! Our team is dedicated to providing personalized guidance on education and success. Please share your specific questions or concerns, and we'll assist you in navigating the path to a fulfilling and successful career."