Hello;

This is both a descriptive and a prescriptive thread.

I am seeking, on average, how much time dads usually spend with children each day. How much of this is "near" the children and how much of this is engaged "with" the children. How many minutes of conversation each day is normal for a dad to talk to their children?

Also, how much should this be?

And what should be the nature of this interaction. Is it usually playing, talking lightly, counseling, scolding, teaching, etc? What patterns does it follow?


I am very busy. I take my son riding with me on trips and meetings with church members and chase lizards on breaks. But I often get very busy. I really am quite unengaged with our 1 year old daughter because...well, she doesn't talk much and Mommy is there to help her walk. Once or twice a week I take my son out for long periods and spend Daddy-Peanut time (Peanut is his nick-name) of just us two for long periods of chasing bugs, etc.


I am trying to figure out the norms and the healthy limits of those norms and also what I should be doing and what is the nature of my interacion with my children.

Between me and my son, it is usually play while my wife does more teaching. When I teach my son it is usually the Gospel, while my wife teaches him school-type lessons. Usually time between me and my son is outside. I also incorporate him into much of my work. I hug my daughter and play with her for short periods but am not real engaged yet because she is still at the pre-logic stage (does that sound cold?) and we cannot talk and can only coo.



Any advice on maximizing time with kids? Or improving it "quality"?

__________________
Pergamum


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