Dads are Important to Development

by ParentCo. July 15, 2016

The research provides some of the most conclusive evidence to date of fathers' importance to children's outcomes and reinforces the idea that early childhood programs such as Head Start should focus on the whole family, including mother and father alike. The findings are published online in two academic journals, Early Childhood Research Quarterly and Infant and Child Development. "There's this whole idea that grew out of past research that dads really don't have direct effects on their kids, that they just kind of create the tone for the household and that moms are the ones who affect their children's development," said Claire Vallotton, associate professor and primary investigator on the research project. "But here we show that fathers really do have a direct effect on kids, both in the short term and long term."
Source: Dads play key role in child development -- ScienceDaily


ParentCo.

Author



Also in Conversations

mother with child
How Teaching Goal Setting Inspires Children

by Joy Turner

Setting goals allows kids to experience growth socially and emotionally by helping them develop self-regulation skills, gain responsibility and build confidence.

Continue Reading

mother with new baby
Postpartum Hospital Bag Essentials I Wish I Had

by Yelena Shuster

I’ve texted every pregnant person I know to ask them everything I could gather to make their hospital stay better. Here’s everything I wish I had—and why.

Continue Reading

sitting with friends
The Power of Taking the Time To Check in with Yourself

by Hannah Brencher

When I began cultivating a discipline of unplugging to be more present, I realized that I wasn't checking in with myself; I was making an excuse to check out.

Continue Reading