Beginning with the birth of a child, mothers, for example, tend to be more verbal with their children, whereas fathers are more physical. Mothers tend to talk more to their infants and to sing songs to them. Fathers like to roll around with their infants on the floor. Mothers and fathers also tend to play differently with children. The play of fathers tends to be surprising and unpredictable, whereas mothers tend to stick with calm, familiar routines.
Babies notice the difference.
In contrast, when babies see their mom approach, they tend to relax their shoulders and lower their eyelids, expecting a more soothing interaction. Another area in which moms and dads differ is in the amount of risk-taking they encourage. In this regard, mothers tend to encourage more caution, whereas fathers urge more achievement and independence. This difference can be seen in any schoolyard in America. Pointing out that moms and dads tend to parent differently is not meant to denigrate the parenting style of either mothers or fathers.