Fathers Day, June 21
Thanks, Dad, we know how important you are
There's more to being a dad than earning a living.
According to researchers, meaningful time with dad is crucial for child development. Researchers now know that interactions with your infant or toddler influence how your kids will relate to other people later in their lives and how they will view the world at large.
A study at the University of Regensburg in Munich, Germany, found that children whose fathers played with them in a sensitive, supportive and challenging way at age two tended to form closer and more trusting relationships with others at ages 10 and 16.
By age 16, fathers' play proved even more powerful and predictive than the mother-child bond. The researchers found that dads' play made a pivotal and unique contribution to kids' growth.
Telling stories of family history and how your parents and grandparents overcame adversity has an influence on how kids handle difficult times. An Emory University study showed that among children aged 14 to 16, the ability to retell parents' stories is linked with a lower rate of depression and anxiety.
Your stories, told with eye contact about how you and others overcame problems, can help your children view the world with optimism.
