The demands on a father can be numerous and mind-bogglingly diverse, and the unprepared parent may find himself drowning in tasks and rendered deaf by the sound of angry relatives. To make lives a little easier for the new-dads-to-be, here are a few of our suggestions.

Try to be more involved

While it may be super attractive to buy your little ones a rackful of toys and let them play on their own, reality would teach you otherwise. Children will not play on their own; they will either throw away the gifts, bite and chew on them or expect you to join them. So, the last option is almost always the better choice, because it helps you bond with the children better and also be able to teach them the 'how to' of playing.

Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed

Lego is a lifesaver – so are other building games 

This is where dads can bond with their children and actually pass on their interest in building something for the next generation. All this can be done while catching up on the latter's life beyond family, in a very casual manner. Dads of teens and young adults find this form of bonding most therapeutic and effective.

Audiobooks are a lifesaver

For the days you are unable to read The Wizard of Oz once again, invest in the audiobook version of it. But reading to your children at night is suggested because not only does it increase their interest in arts and literature, but they will also remember this connection for a lifetime, and most likely repeat this with their children when they become parents.

Treats work like magic but be careful about the timing

It's always an attractive approach to reach out for the snacks whenever you are in charge of the children because you know only too well that those who control the chocolates, control the house. While that may be true, the snacks always need to go early in order to make way for real food. Please do not cheat on this!

Is your child going to be an artist or a doctor?

Any sort of manipulation is unhealthy. The only healthy way to make your child like music is to play it next to him, or maybe place a drawing board in their rooms so that they learn to scribble randomly just out of curiosity. Most maestros were not directly influenced by the elderly, but rather, conditioned indirectly to be able to realise their true potential.  

Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed

Don't just assume – communicate

As parents, most of us tend to think we know our children better than they know themselves. This is an absolute farce. We need to keep our communication channels open with our children 24/7. Make them feel comfortable enough to tell you anything and everything so that when they face a difficult time in their lives, they know who to talk to.

Fridays are always an off-day

The weekends need to be an off-day, even for parenting. Let your child roam free, under surveillance of course. Let them do what they wish. If they want to play video games or watch TV, let them do it to their heart's content. They will also learn about the importance of taking rest.

Babysitting has always been the wrong word to use; it's called parenting 

Model: Kanak Aditya, Dhian Giri