Tips for Dads
You can be active in your child’s life, even if you’re not in a relationship with his/her mother or living with him/her.
Here are some tips for all fathers:
- Encourage your baby’s mother to go to the doctor regularly, eat right, and breastfeed. What you do to help her stay healthy helps your baby be healthy, too.
- Do what you can to bond with your baby. Stare into your baby’s eyes, play kangaroo (strap on an infant carrier and keep your baby close while you do your household chores), read aloud to your baby (even the sports pages!), and cuddle.
- Keep your child safe. Never shake your baby, no matter how frustrated you are. Quit smoking and eat healthy. Your health and habits directly impact your child.
- Denounce violence and show your child what healthy, nonviolent relationships look like by setting a good example.
- Use carseats and other appropriate measures when traveling in a vehicle with your child. Encourage your child to practice other safe behavior, such as wearing a bike helmet and only swimming when an adult is present.
- Provide a listening ear. Your child needs to know you care – even if you can’t be there in person as much as you’d like. So, talk to your child and, just as importantly, listen when he or she speaks.
Read more information about the importance of Fatherhood in CSC's newsletter, For Our Children.