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Daddy’s Little Girl by Gregory Lang
If you have a daughter, it’s hard not to get a little emotional reading this collection of anecdotes compiled by Gregory Lang (author of more pithy books like “Why a daughter Needs a Dad: 100 reasons”). This is not a “deep” book, but it does get at a lot important truths about the importance of a father to little (and big) girls. Sometimes, that’s also what dads need to give an extra push to their efforts. We all need to know that all those hours pushing swings and replacing toy batteries are the foundation of an enduring relationship that doesn’t end suddenly at adolescence. There has been plenty of research that shows this to be true, but Mr. Lang, in this compilation of his own and others’ stories, relates how this plays out in different ways. For the dad of a young girl, it also gives a not-always-comfortable (read morbid) look into the future when kids are grown up and dad is looking at what he’s leaving behind as a legacy, rather than what he is building in the here and now. It may have you weeping into your Scotch before the end of the second chapter.
I’d recommend this as a gift from any girl or woman wanting to communicate to a dad why he’s special to her.
Daddy’s Little Girl: Stories of the Special Bond Between Fathers and Daughters by Gregory E. Lang
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Best and worst kid books for dads
Every night, it’s the same drills at our house. A never-ending pattern of tooth-brushing and pyjama-changing. It’s like the myth of Sisyphus, a mom and a dad doomed for eternity to push a rock up to the top of a hill, only to watch it come rolling back down. But of course, it’s not eternity. It’s just a few short years until they brush and change themselves, start to read to you, and eventually close the door after dinner and hang a big “Parents Keep Out” sign on their door.
However, until then, what to do to make the rituals more entertaing, stay in the moment, and not despair over your own need to pay the bills or catch up on the latest update on “Lost.” I hope you don’t feel tricked if I tell you that bedtime will always be bedtime. Kids thrive on routine, and actually, the more you do that’s the same (same order, same time) will help get them to sleep better.
However, there is one area within your control, and that is which book you have to or get to read.
Personally, I always liked to read Goodnight Moon, and one of my favorites is Go to Bed, Fred. Good Night Moon is more sentimental and strangely poignant. Go to Bed, Fred uses Sesame Street characters and is actually funny with kids below four years old.
I have now read two Harry Potter books with my eight year old girl. I can’t say it’s great literature but it’s better than a lot of the Scholastic books she brings home. And it fuels our discussions for days because the characters are so vivid. They say that beyond book Three or so, you have to watch out since the themes become ever more dark, and are really too chilling for little kids.
What are your favorites? Do you hate or love Winnie the Pooh (hate him now except for the Heffalump-chasing scene). Have you tried the classics or do you stick with the bestsellers. Do the rhymes in Madeline drive you to insanity? Have you read enough Go Dog Go to last a lifetime?
Reading to your kids is one of life’s great pleasures and has been proven over and over to benefit kids and make them better learners and future readers. With so many great books to choose from though, there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy yourself along the way. Remember though, if it’s on the shelf, you’re at the mercy of your little kid’s choices, and he’ll sometimes be happy reading the same thing for week straight.
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Nature the Nurture – Interview with Michael Gurian on difference between moms and dads
We at GreatDad are obviously strong believers that moms and dads have different parenting styles. Both are important and play different roles in the emotional, moral, and intellectual development of the child. While we also believe that children thrive on love, positive parenting, and supportive environments, we can’t help but be more and more persuaded of how much is “hard-wired” in each individual.
We had an opportunity to talk with Michael Gurian about these subjects and his new book, Nurture the Nature. His thoughts are especially interesting to us since they underscore the crucial role dads play in the development of the child.
Are moms and dads interchangeable as parents?
Moms and dads create different types of bonds with their children — you can’t measure the father bond through the lens of the mommy bond. While the mommy/infant bond is primary during the first two years of life, dads must bond with babies during the first five years to develop the trust, reliance and respect for their fathers that will become even more important to their development as they reach pre-adolescence. Additionally, dads that bond with their babies during this time are far more likely to stay with them through separation or divorce.
To read more, go to GreatDad.com for the other parts of this article:
What critical elements do dads bring to parenting?
When are the most critical times for dad to spend time with children?
Who gets credit or blame for the successes or problems we see in our kids?
How about the child who plays video games and doesn’t engage in the world?
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Baby Bonding Book for Dads
We love this idea so much we’re asking Jennifer and James to join our contributing authors on GreatDad.com. This book, and sentiment, would make a fine gift for new dads. In my experience, real close bonding with my kids didn’t happen for me until they were about three and a half. I felt guilty about it at first, but came to appreciate the changing roles of moms and dads as the baby grows up. The baby also wants mommy so desperately for a long time, that it’s normal for dad to sometimes feel a little bit outside looking in. Great Dads won’t resent that, but prepare themselves for the “age of dad,” around four to five, when dad becomes the king of fun around the house, if he wants that role. Still, any book that offers tips to bring you closer to the baby is good during those early days, especially since you’re setting the pattern (for you and your child) for a lifetime to come. The Baby Bonding Book for Dads: Building a Closer Connection With Your Baby by James Di Properzio, Jennifer Margulis
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