A Q &A on Father’s Day with Prof. Edward Kruk, School of Social Work
What are some meaningful Father’s Days activities?
There are a wide range of community-based activities available for fathers and their kids on Father’s Day. Fathers today have less overall time to spend with their children, so Father’s Day can be spent just hanging out together. Just being together is vital.
The role of the father is very important in a wide range of developmental tasks of children, especially children’s social and emotional development. Fathers being interested in their child’s interests takes on increasing importance as children grow older, especially the new interests of adolescents.
Do you have any communication tips for dads?
Talk about and be attuned to your child’s feelings. Ask what your children are going through, both the positive and difficult aspects of their lives. Respectful communication is both verbal and non-verbal, and children’s affective development is furthered by fathers’ attunement to children’s feelings.
Being emotionally available and tuned-in is one aspect of communication. But just being there, as a parent, is the most important thing for children’s growth and development.
