Getting Dad More Involved in Parenting
While things have changed a lot in recent years, it is not unusual for mom to be more interested in parenting issues than dads. Often it is simply a matter of giving dads the right tools and information to be more comfortable with attachment parenting. Most dads want to do the right thing for their kids, they may just need some gentle help to understand how great attachment parenting is for building the bond they want with their kids.
Those of us who grew up in Generations X and Y got more direct parenting from our fathers than most previous generations in the 20th century. Even so, men of our generation still do not have many clear role models for attachment parenting. Watching Bill Cosby parent a TV family was probably as close as many Gen X men came to seeing an attached and involved father.
First, if your baby's father is a reader, get him a copy of Attachment Parenting, the excellent primer from William Sears. In fact, if you have not read it yet, get a copy for both of you.
Second, talk with your baby's father about what his expectations are about parenting. Talking through the kind of relationship he hopes to have with his children can often help to clarify the steps to becoming the dad he wants to be.
Third, make sure that he has the right tools to feel comfortable with his new parenting skills. Find a baby carrier such as the Patapum or a masculine looking sling that is easy to use and helps him to wear baby with style. If you cosleep, use a cosleeper that makes dad feel secure that the baby will be safe during the night. Help him to be more involved by using cute cloth diapers that are easy to change such as (a href="https://littlefornow.com/catalog.php?category=2" rel='nofollow'>pocket diapers or fitted diapers. You may even be able to find cloth diapers in sports themes or in other patterns that he likes.
Finally, let him know that you have confidence in him and his ability. Familiarity with parenting breeds confidence. The more he practices his new skills the closer he will feel to baby and the more secure he will feel in his parenting skills.
Those of us who grew up in Generations X and Y got more direct parenting from our fathers than most previous generations in the 20th century. Even so, men of our generation still do not have many clear role models for attachment parenting. Watching Bill Cosby parent a TV family was probably as close as many Gen X men came to seeing an attached and involved father.
First, if your baby's father is a reader, get him a copy of Attachment Parenting, the excellent primer from William Sears. In fact, if you have not read it yet, get a copy for both of you.
Second, talk with your baby's father about what his expectations are about parenting. Talking through the kind of relationship he hopes to have with his children can often help to clarify the steps to becoming the dad he wants to be.
Third, make sure that he has the right tools to feel comfortable with his new parenting skills. Find a baby carrier such as the Patapum or a masculine looking sling that is easy to use and helps him to wear baby with style. If you cosleep, use a cosleeper that makes dad feel secure that the baby will be safe during the night. Help him to be more involved by using cute cloth diapers that are easy to change such as (a href="https://littlefornow.com/catalog.php?category=2" rel='nofollow'>pocket diapers or fitted diapers. You may even be able to find cloth diapers in sports themes or in other patterns that he likes.
Finally, let him know that you have confidence in him and his ability. Familiarity with parenting breeds confidence. The more he practices his new skills the closer he will feel to baby and the more secure he will feel in his parenting skills.
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