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Science Forum Index » Psychology Forum » Dads need to play with kids, science says...
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| Steve Dufour... |
 Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 4:17 pm |
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http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/jun/15/playful-pops-aid-childs-emotional-development/
"Don't eat me. I have a wife and kids. Eat them."
-Homer
Simpson to the aliens who abducted the Simpson family
All righty now. What would Father's Day be without a little hair of
the Homie?
I am sure there are evolutionary and otherwise profound psychological
reasons for why, of all the fathers in America, the most recognizable
one in 2008 is a cartoon buffoon.
But we will leave that scholarly inquiry for another time. Today,
while we are enjoying our moments with Dad and his new tie/cigar/
Craftsman tool, let's have a serious talk about fun. As in how fathers
are essential play partners for children.
And you thought fathers were just well-stocked ATMs.
One of our nation's favorite activities is comparing the behavior of
mothers and fathers. Good mothers are known for their savvy domestic
leadership, culinary prowess, verbal skills, emotional intelligence
and nurturing behavior.
Fathers are known for introducing kids to corny jokes, weird noises
made with armpits, goofy faces and the fine art of throwing things in
a general direction. Such as wet towels at the hamper. The television
remote at the person who asked for it. The open bag of chips at ...
oh, you know what I mean.
Science, however, actually has redeemed fatherly playfulness. It's not
only fun for kids, it's remarkably beneficial, research says.
According to the National Fatherhood Initiative's "Father Facts,"
fourth and fifth editions:
mChildren whose fathers regularly play with them are more competent in
their peer relationships and more popular with peers than children
whose dads don't play with them a lot.
mFather-child outings are associated with fewer behavior problems,
higher levels of sociability and better academic performances in the
children.
mInfants whose fathers handle them a lot with affection are much more
likely to be securely attached than other babies.
mPremature infants whose fathers spend time playing with them have
better cognitive outcomes at age 3 than other preemies.
mFathers' play is linked to children's intellectual development and
social character.
Science also shows that it is not the mothers' imagination that
fathers play longer with the kids than they (the mothers) do.
According to one study, when dads are alone with babies, they spend 45
percent of their time playing with them, compared with moms, who spend
20 percent or less of their solo time with babies playing with them.
This also would explain the stinky, overflowing diaper pail after Dad
has taken care of the baby for the afternoon.
Moreover, fathers and mothers play differently: Fathers like
activities that are social, physically active, team-oriented and
foster independence, while mothers tend to gravitate to activities
that are thoughtful, verbal and relatively quiet (i.e., coloring in a
book, making a craft).
A father's style of caring is "action, playfulness and zest," Harvard
Medical School psychology professor William S. Pollack said in his
2001 book, "Real Boys Workbook."
"Research shows that right from the start, fathers tend to arouse
their babies' emotions and stimulate them, while mothers tend to want
to soothe their boy children and shield them from stimulation," wrote
Mr. Pollack. |
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