The Infant-Dad Connection
Dads, do you realize your influence on your children's behavior? How do they see you in their eyes? That connection should begin the moment your infant children are born.
Having grown to the heartbeat, breathing cadence, and voice of their mother, they need to be held and spoken to by their father to make that subtle connection with him as well. Infants are not unlike soft clay, hardening gradually month by month. You are the artisan, making them beautiful and valuable. The way they carry themselves and the joy they bring to others exhibit their beauty. They manifest their value when they become confident and self-reliant contributors to society.
Do not wait to mold your children, for if you do so, the less impact you will have on them and their future. Your influence decreases each year as they cure, forming their unique shape (personality), but a strong beginning will ensure your respect will be upheld and heard throughout their lives. This capability is essential because older children need borders for their safety, values for their integrity, and involvement for their growth.
No man is a failure who has helped a child, especially his own. So many ways exist to show your love and support. It can be as simple as a touch or a wink, as complicated as family therapy, or as thoughtful as a long-distance phone call. A dad needs to be available. The greatest single gift a man can give his children is his attention. So simple, but somehow its simplicity overlooks the importance of engagement and meaningful interaction, often set aside for another time or place. Your parenting goal should always be your best as a good father. There are reasons, obstacles, and hardships that get in the way, but no excuse should continue.
Michael Byron Smith, author of
The Power of Dadhood: How to Become the Father Your Child Needs
A Vagabond Life: A Memoir of Fatherhood
Having grown to the heartbeat, breathing cadence, and voice of their mother, they need to be held and spoken to by their father to make that subtle connection with him as well. Infants are not unlike soft clay, hardening gradually month by month. You are the artisan, making them beautiful and valuable. The way they carry themselves and the joy they bring to others exhibit their beauty. They manifest their value when they become confident and self-reliant contributors to society.
Do not wait to mold your children, for if you do so, the less impact you will have on them and their future. Your influence decreases each year as they cure, forming their unique shape (personality), but a strong beginning will ensure your respect will be upheld and heard throughout their lives. This capability is essential because older children need borders for their safety, values for their integrity, and involvement for their growth.
No man is a failure who has helped a child, especially his own. So many ways exist to show your love and support. It can be as simple as a touch or a wink, as complicated as family therapy, or as thoughtful as a long-distance phone call. A dad needs to be available. The greatest single gift a man can give his children is his attention. So simple, but somehow its simplicity overlooks the importance of engagement and meaningful interaction, often set aside for another time or place. Your parenting goal should always be your best as a good father. There are reasons, obstacles, and hardships that get in the way, but no excuse should continue.
Michael Byron Smith, author of
The Power of Dadhood: How to Become the Father Your Child Needs
A Vagabond Life: A Memoir of Fatherhood
