Many people only realize how hard it is to raise children until they become parents. Not only are they responsible for their children’s diet and sleep, but they also have to play with them, teach them life skills, and raise them to be smart and healthy.
Normally in daily life, most of the childcare work is done by mothers and grandmothers while the breadwinner is the father who goes out to earn money to support the family. However, some studies have shown that fathers take better care of children, why is that?
Many studies show that children who are taught by their fathers have better academic results. Illustration photo: shutterstock
A 12-year study by Harvard University in the US also showed that children raised by their fathers have higher IQs. Even in single-parent families, children raised by their fathers have better physical and mental development. From this, it can be seen that children raised by their fathers still have physical and mental advantages over their mothers.
Another 15-year follow-up study conducted by Yale University found that children raised by their fathers were more likely to be healthy, intelligent, and successful academically and socially than children raised by their mothers and grandmothers.
So what makes this difference?
When interacting with children, fathers will help them increase theireducational thinking.
Children who are raised with educational activities such as reading have a developmental advantage in their early years. And in this way, fathers help them learn better at three and five. By the age of seven, children who do activities with their fathers are more likely to develop to their full potential. This is evidenced by the national curriculum for children in the UK.
Research also shows that these positive effects hold true in most cases, regardless of gender, race, or family background.
Leeds University and researchers from other UK organisations analysed data from a survey of 5,000 two-parent families, based on the indoor and outdoor activities they engaged in with their children. For example, reading, storytelling, drawing, singing and making crafts. The report identified the main reasons why dads’ influence is so important.
Children with both parents involved instead of just one are exposed to a variety of things, which can help them develop in different ways. Research suggests that fathers and mothers have different parenting styles and behaviors.
"When interacting with the child, the father will help them increase their educational thinking while the mother will focus on cognitive behavior," the report said. The mother's companionship helps children reduce hyperactivity, improve social skills, emotions and behavioral awareness.
Children who have more contact with their fathers are more intelligent, have higher IQs, better academic performance and are good at communication.Illustration photo: .shutterstock
The father has better physical fitness, more energy and more adventurous spirit.
Compared to gentle, delicate, and cautious mothers, fathers are often more daring and adventurous. One thing that is easy to see is that when taking their children to the park, mothers often let them stay on the flat ground. Meanwhile, fathers are willing to let their children run, chase, and climb everywhere.
These are all very good activities for children, helping them to have good physical strength and always be full of energy. Moreover, the exercises will stimulate the central nervous system of the brain. From there, it affects the child's thinking and actions. Children who love sports are often more extroverted, have higher IQ and EQ.
Children will be equipped with more practical knowledge from their fathers.
A renowned national psychologist believes that, in terms of education, most fathers are more knowledgeable and far-sighted than mothers. They can tell stories, culture, history and philosophy to their children from childhood and they are more capable of handling interpersonal relationships.
Above all, when educating children, fathers will let children observe and imitate. Thanks to this, children will be more interested in absorbing information and knowledge.
Children raised by their fathers will be more independent.
Women tend to over-protect their children, often fearing that their children are disadvantaged compared to other children, so whenever they have a request, they immediately respond. They always love and pamper their children, but this causes their children to develop a dependent personality, making it difficult for them to live independently later on.
On the contrary, the image of the father, the father in the eyes of the children is often independent and strong, so this will also affect the children. Under the father's upbringing, the children are also more independent and less dependent on others. The father often lets his children solve their own problems independently, rarely spoiling his children indiscriminately.
And for fathers, independence is not just a way of behaving but more than that, it has become their personality, if children learn this, it will be useful when they grow up. An independent personality in a child will certainly create a huge gap compared to other children. Their spirit of discovery and problem solving will be stronger, so they will have more opportunities in life.
Children will become more assertive and independent in everything when playing with their father..Illustration photo:.shutterstock
Therefore, Ms. Helen Norman, head of the study, encourages this work to be shared between both, instead of being left to the mother alone.
"Mothers often take on the primary caregiving role, but fathers should also be actively involved. That will significantly increase the child's chances of doing well in primary school," she said.
Researchers advise fathers to share childcare from the earliest stages of their children's lives. They will maximize their children's positive development.
This also includes parents splitting up childcare to ensure that both parents spend time with their children playing and engaging in thinking activities, rather than just supporting them in learning.
Experts say that although this is simple, it takes time. In fact, if they are willing to spend an extra 10 minutes a day with their children, it will make a difference.
Finally, experts also encourage fathers to be as well connected to their children’s schools as mothers are. They should provide detailed contact information so that the school can contact any parents if necessary.
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