A Father Does Not Breastfeed But Also Nourishes

A father also understands attachment parenting and enjoys that daily closeness where he can confer affection, pampering and lullabies. He also nourishes, although he cannot breastfeed, he too spends his nights awake, laughs, suffers and cares for that child who is part of his being, even though he has not grown inside him.

The changes associated with the iron roles of gender are changing and that is something that is undoubtedly appreciated. Today, fatherhood is no longer a label where the man is exclusively responsible for the maintenance of a home. Parents “do not help” in the upbringing, they are not auxiliary agents but figures present, close and always participants in the lives of those little ones in whom they leave their mark, whom they nurture, love and guide.

Something that many educators and parenting specialists often comment on is that a child is part of a tribe. We always talk about motherhood and that intimate attachment established between a woman and her baby. However, no one is aware that today’s children grow up in a small microcosm inhabited by their parents, grandparents, uncles, parents’ friends, teachers …

Every interaction, every habit, every gesture and every word leaves an imprint on the child’s brain, and parents have the ability to make an enormously positive impact on their children.

The father as a figure of psychological well-being

Something that we all know is that just as there are good and bad mothers, also fathers are fallible, they make mistakes or there are even those who choose the role of father present, but absent. Therefore, before being reference figures in the education and upbringing of a child, parents are people, and depending on their maturity and their psychological and emotional balance they will be able to guarantee a better or worse development in that little one.

As revealed by a study carried out at the University of Michigan (United States),. Something that has been found is that the effects of unemployment, stress or the simple fact of displaying erratic behaviors, marked by an unequal character, negatively impact the cognitive development of the child and even their social skills.

On the other hand, the impact of the father figure on the development of speech and language of babies is in turn undeniable. For the little ones, it means receiving much more stimulation, a different voice from mom’s with a different tone, with a different type of gesture, and benefiting from a wider range of reinforcements. Throughout the first 3 years of life, that close, affectionate, fun and accessible presence of the father will also consolidate those delicate processes associated with language.

The Most Valuable Nutrients A Parent Should Provide

Our family and the type of bond established with it determines a large part of who we are. Beyond genes and blood is that most intimate and private architecture where the realm of our emotions, our fears, limitations and also our values ​​rises. All dimensions that a good father must nurture correctly . Let’s look at some examples.

• Emotional availability.  The ability to respond to the child’s needs and their quality guarantees optimal development and better maturity in that little one throughout his life.

• The recognition. Every child needs to feel recognized and valued by their parents. Having that paternal gaze always attentive, close, valuable and full of affection influences a good development of self-esteem in the child.

• The participation. The good father is not limited only to “be”, but to make people feel, to promote discoveries, to awaken new emotions and learnings, to be a tireless “listener”, a negotiator and a childish communicator.

• The inspiration. Something that most dads undoubtedly do is open up new worlds for their children where they can feel competent and at the same time discover themselves. Many of our parents transmitted their passions to us, their love for music, books, nature. .. All of them values ​​that now define our adult life.

In conclusion, something to remember is that a good parent is not a big boy who enjoys playing and making his child laugh. The “real” father is an adult with great emotional competencies, someone who is self-confident, brave like any mother and always concerned about giving security, encouragement and affection to that child so that tomorrow he will open his wings as a free adult, mature and capable of giving and receiving happiness.

Images courtesy of Margarita sikorskaia