Fathers and Communication

Children need consistent and caring communication from their fathers. This includes listening, sharing stories,hugs and affection, talking and laughing, and discussing problems or concerns. Communication is especially important to help young children develop their own language skills. Here are some ideas about what children really need from dad when it comes to communication.

Babies

Babies need to have their cries and coos answered in order to build trust. Young babies can see about 8-12 inches and love to look at human faces. A father should make a habit of picking up his infant as much as possible when he is home so that the baby learns to trust his face.

Babies are great communicators. Besides crying, their expressions and bodies help you read their cues. Speaking softly to the baby will help him or her understand that you are trying to be helpful. Remembering to speak calmly can soothe both the baby and the parent! Talk to your baby constantly! He or she will know you are near and also learn new words.

Toddlers

Toddlers are mobile babies. They also love to be talked to, read to and sung to. If you aren’t comfortable with a large audience yet, sing to the child when you are in the car alone with him or her, changing a diaper or giving the bath. You do not need to remember the words. Just make up the tune and lyrics as you go. Something as simple as “this is the way we wash your hair,” “shine your toes” or “scrub your knees” can teach body parts, new words and creativity, all while getting the child clean. Talk about productive bath time!

Preschoolers

Preschoolers are learning new words at an amazing rate. Be sure they are learning the words you want them to repeat by cutting out any language you don’t want repeated. Many two-parent families find it difficult to talk during those first minutes when work is done and children have been waiting all day to connect with their loving parents. One idea is to agree with your partner to spend time with the kids first. A half hour of tearing around the park, lap time with a short book or playing with blocks on the floor can do wonders for getting time for an uninterrupted conversation later.

Kindergartners

Kindergartners are learning about following directions and communicating with people that you don’t even know. Use eye contact, sit down and take time to go through the backpack each day to hear about what your child has experienced in school, and before and after! Ask open-ended questions, not the yes and no kind. Keep the television off — as always, during meals.

Take special time every day to talk about the worst and best parts of your child’s day. This works especially well at bedtime since a kindergartner will admit to nearly anything in the dark. Start with the worst part, so she or he gets to unburden his or her worries. End the time with the best thing that happened, in order to celebrate his or her successes, and send him or her off to dreamland with happy thoughts.