Benefits of fatherhood go both ways

| Wellness | Healthy You

A family posing for photos in an outdoor setting while also playing football

Dads are good for kids & vice versa

In the old days, you'd find dads in the waiting room while their children were born and many were "all thumbs” when it came to diaper pins and day-to-day child-rearing chores. 

Times have changed. Fathers have become much more involved with their kids — from being in the hospital delivery room to being “hands on” with the care and feeding of their young ones. Research has shown active fatherhood is beneficial for kids AND for dads.

What dads do for kids
While every father is different, here are a few things kids (moms and others) appreciate about what dads do for their families:

  • Teach. Dads are great at passing down their knowledge on everything from building a treehouse or shooting a free throw to playing the guitar or getting to the next level in Angry Birds©.
  • Balance. Good fathers provide a balance of encouragement and discipline, both of which help kids from day-to-day and all through their lives.
  • Esteem. “You’re doing a good job, buddy!” is sweet music to the ears of a child, especially when it comes from Dad.
  • Inspire. Dads (and moms, too, of course) have experienced enough of the world to help their children dream and think big about where they can go in life.

What kids do for dads
A lot of dads say that fatherhood has forever changed them. Here's what having kids can do for dads:

  • Teach. Kids give dads the opportunity to learn everything from how to sing the theme from Frozen © or how to read the same story again (and again) to the fine art of texting with emojis.
  • Balance. Just by being there, kids can gently remind dads to maintain balance between work and play.  
  • Esteem. Dads can feel good about themselves for the difference they make in the lives of their sons and daughters.
  • Inspire. Monkey see. Monkey do. It doesn't take long for little ones to copy what they see their parents do. Because dads know they're setting an example, kids often inspire dads to drop bad habits and take better care of themselves.

Being a father is seldom easy, but it's always rewarding