Core idea 22
Your baby will need your encouragement
As babies grow older fathers have a special role to play in providing encouragement. One of the ways we do this is in the way we play. When its safe to do so, fathers’ play becomes more physical, boisterous, and extroverted than the play of mothers. Fathers are more likely to be exciting as they bring their children safely to the edge of fear.
The word, after all, is en-courage. Encouragement builds confidence. Encouragement gains importance as your baby leaves infancy behind and becomes a toddler.
Mothers encourage their children as well. But their encouragement is a more quiet kind, always restrained by the close biological bond they had with their children. Your bond is more psychological and less constraining. The first time your child climbs a slide on a playground your heart may be fluttering as she reaches the top. But what you are feeling is probably quite different from the mother who stands nearby.
Balancing encouragement and safety will be one more test for you as a father. Encouragement should never border on recklessness; safety should never undermine self-confidence.