(Without dying in the attempt)

 

Traditionally, raising children has been centered on women, but we are increasingly realizing the importance of the father's presence, regardless of whether they live in the same house or not.

 

Having the father of your children actively involved in raising them is important for:

-    Strengthening the family bond also applies to divorced parents, as the bond of love you have with your children will never be lost.    

-    Supporting the mother's emotional health allows her to balance other aspects of her life without guilt.

-    The benefits are greater for the father:

-    If we allow contact  skin to skin with the newborn,  will develop a unique and irreplaceable connection

-    It will give them greater confidence in their role since they will participate from the beginning, giving them security and developing skills that will accompany them throughout their lives.  of their children.

-    Furthermore, being an active part of their children's development often translates into greater emotional well-being .

 

It invites you to reflect, since many times we ourselves as mothers are the ones who unintentionally "separate" them from their role, acting as mothers to our husbands, correcting everything they do with ideas like "he doesn't know" or "men are not that sensitive." 

This is why it is essential to debunk these myths and promote active, empathetic, and present fatherhood.

 

Here are some ideas to help you achieve this:

1.     Involve him from the pregnancy onwards in prenatal check-ups, preparation classes, or decisions about the birth.    

2.     It allows and promotes skin-to-skin contact (after discussing it with your pediatrician and gynecologist).

3.     Involve them in feeding from the start of breastfeeding (you can support yourself simply by accepting the importance of breastfeeding)

4.     Assign him shared tasks in the baby's bath, and in his sleep routine, for example he can bathe the baby and you put him to sleep.

5.     Assign a role for household chores, adapting to their routine and schedule. 

 

Remember, parenting isn't one person's responsibility, it's a team effort. When one parent is actively involved, all family members benefit.

 Let's commit to raising children together! The results will be stronger couples, happy children, and healthy families.

 

By:

Maribel Cortez

maribel.cortezca@gmail.com