Increasingly  researches  underscore  the  importance   of a father in  the  child’s life well into  the teenage  years .  But  what is  it that  makes a dad so important to a  toddler  ?    What   do dads  do that moms don’t?   In  the  modern  family  it is  not  about  the  specific  do’s and  don’ts  ,  but  more   about  the    different  perspectives  they  bring  in.   Hence  having dad around and involved   both in  parenting  and  play makes a massive difference   in their childhood.   In spite  of  the  popular culture   stereotyping  more  and   more  Indian   fathers  are   proving  themselves   competent  enough for  the   task . 

 

Most  dads are preoccupied with long hours  and   work pressures.  Having  a baby or  toddler at home  makes them   focus  more on  work as a  way to contribute  more towards  the family  finances .  With a  hectic  workload   and  competing   demands,   scheduling  the   little  available  time  effectively becomes  important .   Fortunately   , as   with most   things  in life,   quality   trumps  quantity .   Here are some  easy ideas  for  dads to spend   quality  time   with  their  toddlers   to forge a strong  father-son /daughter  bond.

 

 

1.       Read to them

 

Toddlers love to have  someone read to them. Choose  a  book with  lots of  illustrations .  Read slowly,   and let  your  toddler  explore the  pictures . Ask questions about how the characters are feeling, or what your toddler would do in similar circumstances.  This  is a  fun  activity   that  gives  you  great  insights  to your  toddlers   way of   thinking 

 

2.       Build  with them

 

Making  something  themselves gives  toddlers  immense  sense of  accomplishment  .  It  does not  matter  whether  you  build a  tree  house  or a  doll  house  or  model  train  or a   playing  card  fort .   There  are  umpteen  out of  the  box  building  sets  available  if  you are  out of  ideas . Pick  one  that  your  toddler  can  help you with .   Remember  your  child  will not  mind  if   you are  not  very  crafty or  handy with  tools . It will still  be a great bonding and learning experience for both of you .

 

 

3.       One-on-one time

 

Try  to spend  some  one on  one  time   with your  toddler   at  least  once a  week .   This  is  your  child’s  special  time  with you .  Go  for  walk ,   visit  the  park  or  playground   or  go  get  an  ice cream .  Listen  to  them  as  they  talk , help them  climb a  tree  or  the  monkey bar .  Try to spend  this  time  away  from the   TV/arcades/movies   etc. .   It  will be  the   cherished  “Daddy and  I”   time  for  your  toddler .

 

4.       Family Time

 

Try to  set  aside  one  night a  week  , or  any other  time  , as  family time   where  the  phones   are   ignored  and  other  gadgets  are  turned off .    Use  this   time  to play  with  your  toddler  or   talk  to them   about   day  to day   activities  .   This  is  the  time  when  everyone around  the   table is  allowed  to  express   their   views , respectfully .

 

5.       Be involved

 

Don’t  be    afraid  to  get involved.    If  you  find  your  toddler roughhousing  or  making a  mess ,   jump in    and take  charge  .   Show  appreciation   when your  toddler   shows  of   his/her   artwork  or   craft project . Remember  you are  a superhero to  them  now and   they   long  for  your  approval.

 

 

In the hustle and bustle of  everyday  life  it can be easy to forget just how important  we  are  to our   children .  A  child  who  feels   that  he/she can   communicate   with  his  parent    is  less  likely to  get  in  trouble  as  they grow older . The  key   thing  to  remember is  that   the father’s  point  of  view  need not  be  the  same  as   the  mother’s.   But  when parents work together they give the child stability and structure.  The child  knows what to expect   leading  to less  behavioral issues  . 

 There is  never a  better time  to  get  involved   than  NOW !!

 

Must Read:

Top 5 Simple Tips for the Dad to Bond With the Newborn

New dads and babies – building bonds that last a lifetime

 

 

 

Author Bio:

Syama is a  mom of  3  energetic  kids.  She  loves  yoga,  hiking ,  baking  , solving  puzzles  and  her  kids not necessarily in that  order. In her past life as a  techie  she solved  problems  in  virtual  world.  Now  she  wears  many hats  trying  to  navigate the   challenges faced by  the modern family .  During  her  spare  time  you will find  her blogging  on  varied  subjects  like  maths  and travel .