Every parent’s dream is to see their child grow up kind, smart, successful, and happy. It is generally accepted that mothers play a vital role in raising children, but how important are the fathers? What can they offer for their offsprings? Let’s find out!
1. Dads are great role models
We often see children imitating their parents’ behavior. That’s how they learn to react to whatever the world may throw at them. Boys dream of being like their fathers in the future, and girls dream of finding a husband who may or may not resemble their dad. So the way a father talks to his wife and relatives, his pastime activities, and his attitude towards work inevitably affect the younger generation. That is why dads need to pay extra attention to both preschoolers and adolescents, teaching them by example what it is like to take care of a family.
2. Dads teach kids to be more self-confident
As a general rule, fathers are less anxious than mothers and react more calmly when their son or daughter shows a cognitive interest in exploring the world around them. In short, dads don’t usually freak out watching their child climb a fence or play a mildly dangerous game with a neighbor’s kid. Men are more willing to encourage such behavior, which in the long run helps the children be more independent, self-confident, and careful.
3. Dads are the best mentors
The male outlook on life significantly broadens the horizons of the child. It’s good if kids hear opinions that differ from those of their mother and grandmother. It doesn’t mean the father is always right, but the ability to choose between different points of view helps the child have a positive experience searching for compromises. However, it’s important that dads don’t just tell what to do and how to do it; instead, they should teach the kids how to compare and analyze different situations. This applies to the actual father as well as all other father figures in the child’s life, like teachers, coaches, family friends, etc.
4. Dad provides support and a sense of security
Whenever a father praises and supports their kiddo, it builds self-confidence, and that’s one of the most important things in life. It’s nice to know that a responsible and strong-minded person can stand up for you. And it’s even nicer when this person is your father, right?
5. Dads improve mental health
Children who are tight with their fathers have a much lower chance to experience depression or have suicidal thoughts, not to mention a whole bag of other, less common, mental health problems. Who knew that happy families could live a better life?
6. Dads prepare kids for future relationships
It’s no secret that we, grownups, have no idea what we’re doing when it comes to dating and all that. But as clueless as we are, our children perceive us as “old and wise,” so we better play the part. They’re more likely to have a strong relationship further in life if the father teaches the boys the right way to treat women and prepares the daughters for how they should be treated. What’s good for the goose is good for that gander, right?
7. Dads boost EQ and IQ
Studies have shown that kids who were raised in full family show higher scores in IQ tests, and all that Sunday morning roughhousing with dads boosted the children’s confidence and emotional intelligence. It’s all about showing the kids how to control their emotions better and empathize with the surrounding people.
