A Man's Guide To Raising Kids

A Man’s Guide To Raising Kids is a very timely title… As modern communities have embraced the concept of equality of the sexes, and the internet enables fathers and mothers both to work from home, the role dads in their children’s lives needs to come under scrutiny once more.

According to Grose, “Men who can enjoy healthy relationships with their children are generally happier and lead fuller lives. They also become better leaders and managers both at work and within the community.” 

A dad’s relationship with his daughter is no less important that the one he enjoys with his son, especially during the teenage years. When girls are still young (pre-teen) they usually enjoy a very special relationship with their dads. Then adolescence sets in, bringing with it the emerging sexuality of this phase. Many dads start to feel extremely awkward when their “little girls” reach adolescence. 

Good fathering matters – to your kids mother, to your sons, to your daughters too.

It matters to mothers as a supportive father makes a mother’s life easier.

Good fathering matters to girls

Good fathering has been linked to higher confidence levels in girls, particularly during the tricky adolescent years. The notion of a father who is present, available and attentive affords a sense of security to a girl, which is necessary for healthy development.

Dads are also the first introduction to the world of men for girls so it’s important that fathers treat their daughters with gentleness and respect, but also encourage them to be assertive.

In a sense, fathers teach their daughters how they should expect to be treated by males as they get older. The real value of fathers in girls' lives is less tangible but more far-reaching. It is from fathers that girls learn their major lessons about the world of males. 

The implications of this are scary. In a sense fathers teach their daughters how they should expect to be treated by males when they get older. They teach them by the way they speak and act toward them and through their treatment of other females especially their own partners. 

The high proportion of girls who grew up with violent fathers who marry similar men or live in relationships with violent men is testament to the strength of this type of conditioning. The message for dads is simple – be gentle, be respectful and allow your daughters to be assertive towards you.

Fathers usually experience very special relationships with their young daughters but can feel extremely awkward when their “little girls” reach adolescence. Many girls describe how a previously close relationship with their father evaporated when they reached adolescence. Coming to terms with a daughter's emerging sexuality is a problem for many dads which is often reflected in a lack of physical contact and sometimes sheer panic if his adolescent daughter appears seductive.

Michael Grose observes that the relationship between adolescent girls and their mothers is frequently strained. Fathers often act as buffers between mothers and daughters when the atmosphere at home becomes highly charged… Click here to check latest price

Good fathering matters to boys

Boys learn their first lessons of manhood from their dads. Early primary-aged boys usually want to spend a great deal of time with their dads. Someone has described this phenomenon as “father-hunger” and he suggested that dads need to be around their sons in the primary school years so they can “download the software” of how to be male (Steve Biddulph in Raising Boys).

The father-son relationship during adolescence can be problematic. While teen boys seem to be hard-wired to challenge their fathers, most desperately want their dads to be proud of them. Teen boys need a dad who can be firm when needed as they don’t always make great decisions.

They need a dad who remembers the awkwardness and insecurity of being a teenage boy themselves. And they relate best to dads who don’t take themselves too seriously. The judicious use of humor, particularly with boys, is a great fathering strategy. CHECK PRICE/CLICK HERE

Topics in this book include: 

• Getting discipline right
• How to raise both daughters and sons effectively
• How their birth order affects your kids and how you should deal with that
• Getting involved in their sports
• Fathering after divorce or separation
• Getting through their adolescence
• The role of grand dads
• How to manage your busy schedule and still be a great dad

This book will help dads gain a new appreciation for the special role they have in both their sons’ and daughter’s lives. CLICK HERE TO CHECK PRICE

Special Note: Do not be put off by the absence of reviews! I can only recommend books I have read, and these are great books by a parenting educator I have trusted for many years.