WHAT DAD DOES: THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING A POSITIVE ROLE MODEL
Fathers can truly make a difference by loving and caring for their babies, right from the start, on a daily basis. A father’s guiding hand, love and caring touch will remain with a child for a lifetime.
The father’s primary role in the family should be as a protector, provider, nurturer and a role model for their young children. Focusing on these roles will result in a healthy and positive childhood experience. Fathers helping out within the family by changing diapers, reading to their children, playing with them and singing to them can have a positive and lasting impact. Affection and love are an essential part of the positive parenting equation and will boost a child’s confidence. A father can be a tremendous influence in teaching young children to understand the need to regulate their behavioral responses and to think before acting.
A father’s role and good modeling behavior can help stem negative behavior management issues and childhood stress in early childhood lives. Advice and encouragement are essential in rearing your children.
Also, make sure you let your children know that you believe in them. When children know that a parent has confidence in them, it comforts them and inspires them to try harder and to reach for higher goals. To ensure your children are adjusted and ready to enter the education system spend quality time with them. When fathers acts as leaders, protectors, and positive role-models for their young children, their sons and daughters will respond accordingly, and will be better prepared for success in school and life.
Father’s Day doesn’t just come around once a year. If you are a father, Father’s Day is every day. Young children learn by the lives and examples set by parents in their homes.
For more information about fathering contact William Scott, an expert in father and parent engagement, Parents as Teachers National Center at William.Scott@parentsasteachers.org; Shadrach McGill, a metro St. Louis based YWCA Head Start Coordinator who teaches and guides men to engage in positive ways with their young children at smcgill@headstart.ywcastlouis.org; Randall Hinton and Christopher Chambers, both Parents as Teachers parent educators, who regularly counsel fathers on parenting at Randall.Hinton@parentsasteachers.org. and Christopher.chambers@parentsasteachers.org.
Parents as Teachers promotes the optimal early development, learning and health of children by supporting and engaging their parents and caregivers. The organization believes that fathers play a vital role in producing healthy, well-adjusted and productive citizens and provides valuable resources to engage fathers in their children’s lives and improve their knowledge of child development and parenting skills. For further information and a toolkit to help facilitate increased involvement of fathers in raising healthy, school-ready children, click here.
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