Dads as role models
A father’s influence can last a lifetime. What you say and do now will shape your children’s attitudes, how they behave and the decisions they make as they move through their journey to adulthood. As fathers, it is important to realise that your children are watching and listening to everything you say and do when […]
Being a dad: The simple things
There are many things that fathers can do in the midst of a busy life that make a difference in the lives of their children. It doesn’t take a huge amount of time and the busier you are the more kids appreciate the time you spend with them. It makes them feel really special and […]
Make reading time fun with your child
From a young age reading has a profound impact on a child’s development, social skills and language. When fathers read to their children it also provides valuable bonding time to strengthen your relationship with your child. Research has found that fathers who read to their children at age two had predicted better language development at […]
How dads can impact their child’s learning
Dads, you have an important role to play in your child’s education. Not only have fathers been shown to have a significant impact on academic achievement, but your child’s attitude towards learning and school is also very strongly influenced by you. So, if you show and encourage a love of learning, you will be setting […]
Early social and emotional learning
Helping your child with their early social and emotional learning is important. Just like so many other aspects of children’s development, social skills are learned skills. Early childhood teachers spend as much time teaching social and emotional skills as they do academic skills because getting along with others and self- regulation are the basis for […]
Negotiating agreements with kids
As our children get older and demonstrate they can be trusted to follow the rules, we can involve them in negotiating agreements to give them more responsibility for their own behaviours. For example, they might negotiate an agreement with you as to when they would do their chores or how much screen time they can […]
Developing the father-son relationship
The way you communicate with your son as he ages will naturally change. When he’s a little kid, you might spend your time playing with his toys, rough and tumble play or reading together. But as he gets older, you’ll find yourselves starting to have deeper conversations, about school, friendships, sport, or things going on […]
Tips for positive discipline
Discipline is the process of teaching our children how to develop skills to manage their own behaviour by teaching them what behaviour is acceptable and what is not acceptable. Positive discipline focusses on teaching and rewarding positive behaviours and supporting our children to change negative behaviours and this helps our children to follow rules at home, at […]
The benefits of playing with your child
Father-child playtime is an important aspect of a child’s development. Playtime not only allows for bonding and building a stronger relationship between a father and child, but it also has significant positive effects on a child’s development. In this short blog, we will explore the benefits of fathers and father figures simply playing with their […]
Play is a game changer for toddlers
At the Fathering Project, we believe that “play is a game changer” for children’s development. Fathers who engage in active play with their kids encourage them to explore, discover, and problem-solve. In particular, rough and tumble play, such as tickling, chasing, and fun wrestling, has been shown to boost children’s confidence and ability to cope […]
A dad’s role in building healthy self-esteem
A key factor in the development of resilience in children and young people is a healthy self-esteem. We want our children to believe – I am capable and confident in myself and my ability to take on challenges and try new things. Young people with positive self-esteem are more likely to feel capable and valuable, […]
Empowering your child’s self-image and self-identity
Your child’s self-image or self-identity refers to their mental image of themselves, of who they are as individuals, socially and more globally. A sense of image or identity can be shaped by experiences, interactions with others, the local environment, and their own unique personality. Self-image has a lot to do with self-esteem because how your […]
