Based on my 42 years of experience as a father, I realized there is growing evidence demonstrating that father involvement is closely and positively linked to children's social-emotional development, playing a crucial role in fostering emotional well-being, social competence, and emotional regulation in early childhood. What fathers have to offer their children is different from what mothers offer, but it is just as important to the child. The differences between men and women as parents are not laid down for us - each family discovers them in its own way. Fathers also matter because they are important partners.
For me, becoming a father to my five children (one of them passed on upon delivery) is a huge step. Until it has actually happened, no one really knows what it is going to be like for them. The important thing is to take an interest in our children, enjoy being with them, and getting involved with their lives.
I know the influence a good father has on my offspring is disproportionate to the quality time that I spend with them. There is no real formula for being a good father, but experience has taught me what a difference it makes to my kids when I'm really committed to them & encourages them in what they do.
For the past 13 years, my wife, Zarina & I have a big role in supporting our children as they raise our five grandchildren. We realized that sometimes our grandchildren's parents will need time & space to work out their own roles as parents or to bond with their own children. Even if we want to be involved, at these times we might need to back off a little bit. We've decided on boundaries around our role as a grandparent about what to do & what we can do.
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