| A new dad gift that can make a difference and is fun | | | | criminal behavious. |
| and entertaining to watch. | | | | Often they became fathers too, and treated their own |
| He is lucky to have you as his friend/relative who is | | | | kids the same way they were treated. Not always, but |
| taking time to research the right gift for him. | | | | they had to fight really hard to make sure they gave |
| Some guys aren't even included - never mind get a gift | | | | their own kid more love than they ever received. The |
| for them. As though their involvement or | | | | research became so overwhelming - particularly about |
| non-involvement is of no consequence! | | | | how as the baby's brain develops in those first few |
| This is the 21st Century and there is so much | | | | months of life - their personality was already forming, |
| information available about how the Dad effects his | | | | and certain parts of the brain were developing/ or not |
| baby's whole life! and those earliest months and years | | | | developing, which would help that child learn to fit in |
| are the most important. | | | | with his community, and learn how to care for others, |
| Trouble is that most new Dads have no experience | | | | and how to work with others. |
| with handling a baby - and they're too afraid in case | | | | This research by renowned Pediatricians like Berry |
| they drop the little tucker, and maybe Mom will growl | | | | Brazelton and others, was so overwhelming - that |
| at them if they do the wrong thing. | | | | finally Governments in western civilizations, like the |
| Even the Mom often doesn't realise how crucial it is | | | | USA Australia United Kingdom and others, started |
| that Dad is involved - that her baby is going to have | | | | putting larger and larger amounts of money, into |
| the best outcome - if she and Dad both work together | | | | support for parents with new babies. And the more |
| as a team - so that her baby will grow up believing in | | | | they did this, the more they realised that it was |
| him/herself - and will feel secure in the world. Also, | | | | worthwhile spending even more money on these new |
| often the Mom wants to do everything and doesn't | | | | families and giving them as much support as possible - |
| realise how exhausting it is to do everything herself - | | | | as this is the time when you can make the most |
| that having a Dad around who actually knows what to | | | | crucial difference to the child's long term outcome. |
| do, will give her time to have a little break, so that she | | | | What is even better, as all new parent families are |
| can come back refreshed and able to give her baby | | | | offered more and more support, and as evidence is |
| the best care ever. | | | | gathered about these families, including things like fancy |
| Most of the research around the effect that the Dad | | | | brain studies (PET scans etc) done on the babies in |
| has on his child's life - originally started out when | | | | their early months, and as families with sick babies are |
| authorities realised how often people who became | | | | monitored - they have discovered how crucial |
| serious criminals - often came from a broken home - | | | | everything that is done to these babies in their earliest |
| or had abusive or non-involved fathers themselves. | | | | days and months - is so important - that having your |
| Their early home environment, when you would think | | | | main care givers - usually your Mom and Dad - holding, |
| they wouldn't remember any of it - often was pretty | | | | touching and speaking to you in a loving way - this |
| poor with not much family support for maybe his Mom | | | | makes a baby "thrive" - and as the baby thrives, the |
| or Dad or the whole family. | | | | baby is in fact leading us - and letting us know what he |
| It has taken decades and decades of research by | | | | needs. The Mom and Dad responding lovingly to, and |
| investigators who wanted to understand why this | | | | following the baby cues, give a baby the best chance |
| happened and was there anything that could be done | | | | ever - so that that individual will grow up with self |
| to reduce the risk of these kids growing into troubled | | | | esteem, knowing that they are loved, and able to |
| teenagers, who then go on to commit serious crimes. | | | | contribute to their community. |
| More and more the evidence was gathered, and more | | | | So giving New Dad gifts- is wonderful - firstly cause it |
| and more, these kids who had never been shown | | | | recognises what a special time this is, secondly it |
| love, who had fathers who beat them, or ignored them, | | | | recognises how important he is in his new family, and |
| or who were never there for them, often became less | | | | thirdly - cause he can learn and enjoy and enrich his |
| and less caring of other people, and dropped out of | | | | life through this most important role of his life - that of |
| school, or became involved with gangs, and then as | | | | being a New Dad! |
| time went by, they became more and more involved in | | | | |