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What a Father Is Worth
The Invaluable Lessons Dads Teach Us
By Gina Roberts-Grey, LCSW
Steve Scherrer likes to offer his two young sons some appealing suggestions for play as opposed to criticizing their methods or overemphasizing his ideas about how to simulate sound effects. "Since they're only 2-and-a-half and 1, I encourage them to experiment within safe limits and allow them to choose what color to finger paint with or what trains to put on the track," says Scherrer. "When they're older, I also plan on introducing them to my favorite card games and what game I used to play with my neighborhood pals."
A full-time, single father of two children ages 2 and 4, John Eck has found that reading with his children is a great way to stay involved in their development and a great way for him to unwind after a stressful day. "We take turns selecting the book to read or deciding whose room we should read in," he says. "The kids love the chance to have some of the control, and I appreciate the time to help them learn to read." You can also surprise younger children by reading them your favorite fairy tale or childhood classic.
