11 Tips to Be a Good Father to Your Toddler

The bond between a father and child is unique and immensely special. The experience of nurturing a toddler is equally important for the father as it is for the father. Research has shown that caring for your little one boosts certain hormones in the father’s body which aids in making the bond stronger. It is not just beneficial for the father but for the toddler also. 

Children who are emotionally attached to their fathers show more mental stability and are at a lesser risk of developing behavioral problems in the future.

In today’s times, the role of a father in the toddler’s nurturing cannot be seen as secondary to that of the mother. The year is 2020 and it definitely calls for more fluid gender roles in parenting.

What are some of the things that young dads can do to be a good father to their toddlers?

• Give your child and family the much needed time that they deserve.
• Unleash your inner child.
• Play with your toddler every day
• Do not shy away from showing physical affection towards your toddler

Tips to Be a Good Father to Your Toddler

Dedicate a healthy amount of time to your toddler

Of all the important things that one needs to take into account for being a good father, this is probably the most basic yet the most important criteria. Take the required time off from your busy schedule and invest that time in forming a strong bond with your toddler. Strive to achieve a work-life balance and dedicate at least a stipulated time every day to your child. 

A lot of fathers think that the most important role that they have in their child’s life is to make them financially secure. While that is of great importance, the physical presence of the fathers in the day to day life of the toddler’s is of no less importance.

Spend a good amount of time on the floor

Toddlers are known to crawl, so to bond with them you will have to crawl, too. The best way in which fathers can bond with their children is by engaging in playful activities with them. Also, children are said to benefit from being close to the earth apart from the most logical reason behind children spending such a lot of time on the floor, which being it is safe for them to do so as it reduces the risk of them falling from a furniture and hurting themselves. 

Help them build that lego house or play with their latest cars or comb the hair of their barbie.  You might have seen that picture of The Rock playing tea party with his daughter if Dwayne Johnson can, so can you!

Potty Training

Depending on how old your toddler is, toilet training might be a vital part of your responsibilities as a father. This might give you some real memories to share with your child once it has grown up.

Showing Affection

A lot of men who are dads now might not remember receiving a lot of physical affection from their fathers. The reason is up until the 1970s, father’s role in parenting showing affection towards their children was way out of line with what it should be. So, dads, make sure you kiss, cuddle and hug your toddler in abundance. It will help them grow into confidant adults.

Let loose your inner child

While playing with your toddler, let your imagination run wild too. Be the imaginary horse for them to ride on or attend their tea parties and weddings of their dolls. While you enter your keep, keep your uptight self at the door!

Let your child do his own mistakes

While your presence is always required to supervise your child’s actions, playing with your child revolves around the idea of letting yourself loose. Let your two-year-old spill the paint on the floor or dirty the living room. While disciplining is also important and should be incorporated in due time, there is no need to enforce it all the time.

Trust your Instincts

Just like mothers, fathers also have a natural instinct guiding them in their duty as a parent. It might have got subdued in all the stress and the worry so the real challenge is to unearth it and trust it.

Be a Good Partner to your Spouse

Good husbands make good fathers. Though this saying might seem a little old school, it still remains a fundamental step in being a good father. Taking care of the mother is very important to ensure a healthy mother which in turn benefits the baby greatly. Also, a good bond between the parents ensures a safe and happy home which is essential for the child’s healthy upbringing.

Have a good sense of humor

Sometimes you do something that may make you snuggle — it’s okay for kids to write with pencils on all walls, dump some sort of liquid in your couch, or sneak out and meet friends. Although your child needs to be taught not to do these things, in the situation it is best to just laugh at the mood.   

Enjoy your time with them

Your time is limited and valuable– take advantage of it. Spend as much time with them as you can to keep things nice. Spend as much time as you can— don’t allow your mind to wander as they will feel it. Your kid will grow up very soon

Cut down on watching television

Everything about conversation is learning. Learning. You are much more than a large flat screen. When you ditch a television, you miss the gadgets running on batteries too.   Why digital reproduction if you can use both in your imagination? Dad, that’s just about you. Drop the “hands-free” computer, the tablet, the pager, and the smartphone. Get in the junior bricks, the wooden jigsaws, and the big cars. Imagination is the term, and you’re an inspiration.

Share the responsibilities along with your wife

While there are many positive things to carry back from the day of our grandparents, the conventional parental division between dad and mom doesn’t belong to them. There are still some men who consider some tasks as “mom” tasks, but they aren’t one of them. Take part in everything and share your baby mother’s load. Change the diapers, take showers, put them on, even feed them (you can give them breast milk in a bottle).

Be patient with your little one

As a dad, everybody knows how easy patience and temperament can be lost. However, it’s not the right idea for your child to encourage himself to respond with rage or resentment. This means that once you start losing your patience, you have to breathe deeply or walk. Exercise patience and your friendship with your child will benefit you in the long term. 

Read the stories

If you are a reader or not, it is important to be able to read to your children (from the time they become babies). It helps them read and trains them for a lifelong learning experience. It brings you some precious moments together and your child will cherish a tradition.

Be Mindful

The biggest mistake dads make for their children is by not being there. Often schedule time for your children every day and every week. Don’t let anything or anyone intrude on this valuable time. And you should do the best to be there in those great moments of your child’s life – a baseball game, a music recital, a science fair. It’ll mean a lot to your kid. 

Encourage them to play

Children learn by playing—and though it might sound obvious, they should be allowed to play freely. That is not just TV and Video games that are arranged or instructional but also reading. Let them play, make things, and enjoy themselves.

Limit their time of playing video games

You have no reason to be Amish or something, but all too much of this kind of content stop your kid from playing, reading, and going out. One hour of “media time” is recommended, so you should find the amount of time between yourself and your families.

Learn to say ‘no’ at times

There need to be restrictions though I’m all about allowing children the freedom to choose and to play openly and many other freedoms. Parents who don’t impose limits will have children with behavioral difficulties, who are having difficulty growing up. And, if you don’t always say “yes” it isn’t good either that the kid first shouldn’t say “no” and then give in when he is tossed away or begging and pleading. Teach them that your no is firm, but just say no if you feel that there is a limit to be set.

Promote good behavior

It’s one thing to tell your child what it ought to do, but one thing to say and another to spoil the message. What you do is the true lesson your kid can learn. Your child always watches you learn proper behavior. For eg, the child’s head will become grounded by alcoholic alcohol, medications, or smoking by the parents. Poor etiquette, irrational behavior, sloppy behavior, rage, and destructive behavior, laziness, and greed… they’ll turn you off. Model the child’s actions more than understanding.

Encourage them to be independent

Teach the kids to do something for themselves from an early age so that they become more capable as they get older. Although teaching your child what you should do much better is challenging and time-consuming, in the long run, it’s worth it, because of your children’s trust and even as regards how much you have to do. It’s worth it.

Make sure you follow a routine 

Every day, or at least every week, you and your child should do something together. Every morning, you can make a bowl of oatmeal and sit together and share that with your child. You could meet your kids for lunch, encourage your kid to dress up for you in the morning (select your socks or a strap, put your shoes on for you, and so on). It has nothing to be unique, but your child would be especially mindful of the time and regularity of a joint ritual.

Apologize when you are wrong

When you have lost your heart and lifted your voice, tell your child that you are sorry and that next time you will try to do better. If they tried to say something to you, and you didn’t pay attention, excuse them and ask them if they would remind you again. Tell them your plans to make it available if you made a vow, but could not keep this.

Be your child’s role model

Whether or not they know it, fathers are their children’s role models. A girl who is with a caring dad grows up understanding that she needs to be handled properly by boys and knows in a wife what to look for. Fathers teach boys and girls to display integrity, modesty, and duty in their lives.

Have dinner together

Family dinners are an integral aspect of balanced family life. It offers children the opportunity to discuss what they do and what they want to do. It’s also a safe way to listen and get involved with fathers. It offers families a framework where they can follow every day.

Verdict

You know your child the best and no textbook or article can tell you more about your child than you already know. Just follow your gut and enjoy the process of parenting. Being a part of the journey of the toddler growing into a pre-teen is full of challenges but it is also infinitely rewarding. Accept the challenge and rest assured, you will enjoy every step of it.

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