Even a father spends sleepless nights, laughs, suffers and worries about that child who is part of his being, even if it hasn't grown up inside him.
Last update: 24 March, 2022
A father is one of the parental attachment figures and enjoys that daily closeness for which he offers affection, cuddles and lullabies. A father does not breastfeed, but feeds, he also spends sleepless nights, he laughs, suffers and worries about that child who is part of his being, even if it hasn't grown inside him.
Gender roles are changing and this is certainly appreciated. Today paternity is no longer a label in which the man is entrusted with the exclusive responsibility for supporting the family.
Fathers "do not help", they are not auxiliary agents, but figures present, close and always participating in the life of those little ones in whom they leave a mark, which they nourish, love and guide.
"It is not the flesh or the blood that makes us fathers and children, but the heart."
-Friedrich von Schiller-
Many educators and specialists indicate that a child feels part of a tribe. We always talk about motherhood and that intimate attachment that is established between a woman and her child.
It is impossible to deny, however, that today's children grow up in a small microcosm inhabited by parents, grandparents, uncles, parents' friends, teachers.
Every interaction, every habit, every gesture and word leaves an imprint on the child's brain and parents can have an extremely positive influence on their children.
The father as a figure of psychological well-being
Any parent can make mistakes or not be present in their children's lives as they should. In light of this, before being a reference figure in the education and growth of the child, fathers and mothers are people.
Depending on their maturity and their psychological and emotional balance, they can guarantee a better or worse development for the child.
As a study conducted at the University of Michigan (United States) reveals, it is the responsibility of each parent to take care of their psychological well-being in order to promote adequate emotional balance in their children.
The effects of unemployment, stress or simply showing irregular behavior, characterized by an unequal character, have been found to have a negative impact on the child's cognitive development and also on his social skills.
On the other hand, the influence of the father figure on the development of speech and language is also undeniable. For the little ones it means receiving many more stimuli, a voice different from that of the mother with a different tone, with another gesture, and thus benefiting from a wider range of reinforcements.
During the first 3 years of life, that close, affectionate, funny and accessible presence of the father will also consolidate the delicate processes related to language.
A father does not breastfeed, but offers valuable nutrients
The number of single parent families continues to grow. More and more fathers and mothers have to raise their children alone, either because they have chosen to do so or because destiny willed it.
In any case, the attention, care and education of a child require above all that physical and emotional closeness with which to confer security and authentic love. Something men and women should be trained for.
"A good father is worth a hundred teachers"
-Jean-Jacques Rousseau-
On the other hand, we all know that babies don't come into the world with an instruction manual, and that's for a very simple reason: they're not machines.
Children are made of flesh, needs, a heart that beats fast and a curious brain that wants to connect with its surroundings.
They need nutrients and a kind of sustenance that goes far beyond mother's milk, what even a father knows and can provide.
The most valuable nutrients a father should provide
The family and the bond that is established with it largely determines our person. Beyond genes and blood, there is that more intimate and private architecture through which the realm of emotions, fears, limits and even values arises.
A good father must properly cultivate these dimensions. And he can do it in the following ways:
- Emotional availability. The ability to respond to the needs of the child and the quality of the same guarantees optimal development and better maturity throughout life.
- Recognition. Every child needs to feel recognized and appreciated by their parents. Receiving the paternal gaze that is always attentive, close, precious and full of affection favors the correct development of self-esteem in the child.
- Participation. A good father does not just “be there”, he favors discoveries and awakens new emotions and teachings; he is a tireless listener, a negotiator and a skilled communicator.
- Inspiration. Most parents open new worlds to their children where they can feel competent and discover themselves. Many parents pass on to their children their passions, their love for music, books, nature… Values that will define adult life.
A father does not breastfeed, but ...
A father does not breastfeed, but nourishes the soul of his children. The "real" father is an adult with great emotional abilities, self-confident, courageous like any mother, she is always ready to offer security, encouragement and affection so that tomorrow the child can unfold his wings as a free, mature adult capable of giving and receiving happiness.
Images courtesy of Margarita Sikorskaia
