Your father may have been very involved in your daily life, but it is far more likely that the father figure you know in your childhood has little to do with the type of father and, especially, the type of relationship modern experts consider desirable.

Your newborn

In our culture, it is common that when a baby is born, the first months are exclusively spent with the mother, who is the person feeding it and taking care of its primary needs. The general belief was that babies don’t know anyone other than their mothers. And fathers used to wait for their cue to “go onstage” when the baby was a little older, and they could play and interact with him.  

However, this concept has changed in the last years, with the advancement of the studies of the fetus and the baby. We now know, for example, that your baby has been able to listen to your voice throughout the pregnancy, that she recognizes it when she is born, and that she benefits from being in close contact with you.  

A way to create a close relationship with your baby is to actively participate in taking care of her and feeding her. Even if your wife is breastfeeding, she can puma her milk and you can give the baby a bottle (preferably during the night, so that your spouse can sleep a couple more hours). Changing her diapers, speaking to her, reading stories, are all great ways to strengthen your relationship with your baby, and for your baby to benefit from your presence.

Young children

As your child grows and her motor skills develop, you will have the opportunity of playing with her a lot more. Playing and reading are two areas in which parents may interact for the benefit of the child.

Playing hide-and-seek is a lot of fun during the baby’s first months. It can be played in many ways: you can either hide an object or hide yourself and then pop out in front of your baby. This teaches your child the permanence of objects, even if she can’t see them.

Games that promote gross motor skills or the development of the larger muscles are fun because they involve movement and action, which both children and fathers enjoy. Games such as making your child ride “horsey” on your knees, taking her for a piggy-back ride, or any other game that involves physical activity will be fun for you, and will also stimulate her development.  

Seven years-old and up

At this age children can play games that are more related to sports such as skating, bike-riding, playing soccer, or any other similar activity.  Team sports such as soccer or baseball can be a lot of fun for both father and child.

Your child’s intellectual skills are far more developed, and that’s why a pleasant activity is to play board games that are appropriate for his age, as well as reading. Reading together, commenting on the story you are reading, or creating new stories is an excellent exercise for his imagination.  

As a rule, your child will feel enthused about any activity which you participate in.