Returning User? Login Here | Bookmark this site | Contests | Sitemap


Web GreatDad.com

Favorites

Tell a Friend

Subscribe via RSS

Enter your email

RSS Feed

XML Sitemap

greatdad/sitemap

Age Groups > General > Behavior

Fathers' unique parenting skills can help child's social development

Rate This Article:

James Dunsford

Print

It may be beneficial for fathers to act like a kid with their kids

According to new research, it may be beneficial for fathers to be a kid again, at least for a little bit.

For some fathers, wrestling and playing video games with their kids can lead to some light teasing on both sides, especially if you are losing. While it may not seem like it, recent studies have found that this practice of teasing can be a helpful parenting skill in improving a child's social development.

New research from the National Communication Association found teasing can be a positive experience in child development because it teaches them "how to show affection and deal with conflict."

"Research shows us that even very young children can recognize that teasing is not always bad; that sometimes it can be a fun way to play with friends and family," said Carol Bishop Mills, one of the authors of the study.

This may include a light-hearted "I don't think you're gonna make it!" during a video game or a good-humored "You think you can take down the old man? Have at it!" before some playful wrestling.

The key, according to the researchers, is to make sure everyone is laughing and having a good time. They suggest fathers use their parenting skills to identify if the teasing crosses over to bullying.

If some slight aggression does emerge from the teasing, fathers can use the opportunity to teach their child about the difference between teasing and bullying, which may help the child in a school environment.

This somewhat loose approach toward parenting can benefit a child's social, physical and intellectual development, according to Dr. Kyle Pruett, a professor of child psychiatry at Yale and author of Fatherneed.

By engaging children in this nontraditional manner, fathers may also develop strong bonds with their kids that may not have been formed another way. ADNFCR-1662-ID-19134879-ADNFCR

Subscribe to the pregnancy newsletter or 4-8 year olds newsletter.

Email this | Print

Login with Facebook

Post a Comment


First Name:
City:
Email Address:
Comments:	Total Words: (400 words*)
	Enter the characters you see in the image. They are case sensitive.

Shopping

Article List

	Handling a fracture or broken bone
	Are there ways to make your child more like you?
	Is it too early to let my teen start dating?
	Do night terrors mean something is wrong with my child?
	From angels to spoiled brats - how to avoid the latter this holiday season
	Countering childhood obesity - yes, it can be done
	Telling your kids about the death of a pet - how not to scar them
	Dealing with sibling rivalry
	Should you tolerate your child's temper tantrums?
	Compulsive exercise in teens - why there may be more there than meets the eye
	Is your toddler's food safe?
	Working from home - a do or a don't?
	Stop the whining!

All section articles

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Forum Topics

Not trying to spam: Need dads for survey of support & stress Posts: 0 Views: 182 Trying to start a family. Posts: 0 Views: 271 First Time Dad! Posts: 1 Views: 292 First Timer... gulp Posts: 0 Views: 242 Bullys Posts: 0 Views: 293

More Forum

Local Guides

All Guides
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
DC
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming