They wrestle, tickle, and roughhouse. They
lift kids up on their shoulders and carry them
around and often spend time roughhousing and
showing affection in a totally different way than
women typically do. They carry kids to their beds
and throw them onto a pile of pillows, which is
usually rewarded with giggles and a shout of
“Do it again!”. Dads have a knack for showing
affection and having fun at the same time.
Dads encourage kids to try new things. I
love how my husband encourages the kids to
try new things. It is usually easier for me to
just order food for the kids when we are at a
restaurant but my husband lets them speak to
the waitress themselves and order their own
food. This teaches them independence and how to
be comfortable speaking to other adults. If they
are too shy to do so, he pushes them out of their
comfort zone and tells them they can do it, gently
encouraging them to try something new. There
are so many situations like this. Dads often will
push kids to try new things, learn to do things
themselves, or tell them to follow the directions
on their own. There may be difference between
how moms and dads parent their kids but neither
is right or wrong. Each parent has something
unique to teach their kids and different ways of
showing love.
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