If you’re a dad, you probably know that you’re important in your children’s lives -- but do you know how important?
A Real Relationship
“Children have a natural, biologically based bond with their mothers,” says Jeffrey Rothweiler, PhD, clinical psychologist on staff at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. “As a dad, you will be your child’s first relationship outside of this mother-child bond.” That means that the relationships you form with your children can become the template for all other relationships in their lives.
“The father/child relationship is equally important for boys and girls,” says Dr. Rothweiler. “Fathers serve as a role model, a stabilizing influence and a source of support and security for their children.”
Filling the Gap
If you are a grandfather or uncle of children without a positive male role model, the relationships you build with them can work to fill the gap. “Any positive male role model is better than none,” says Dr. Rothweiler. “Fathers are not replaceable, but you can have a good influence on the children in your family by spending quality time with them.”