Mothers have an important part to play because their welcoming of his participation makes a huge difference in his effectiveness as a father. Intriguingly, fathers come equipped, despite adverse socialization, to respond to infants' needs as effectively and rapidly as mothers do. Pruett is particularly good in discussing fathers' developmental importance. Dads are not-Mom, and help the child to separate from the mother when the time comes for that major step. Fathers are also not mothers, and Pruett provides a useful summary of the benefits of the contrasts between the safety and nurturing of mother care and the challenges and stimulation provided to the child by father care.
Dads support kids' novelty-seeking behavior, and help children learn to master frustration.
Good fathering also improves children's interactions with siblings. Father's presence helps a child to learn to form relationships with both sexes. Fathers like to stretch their kids' communication skills in preparation for worldly dialog. I learned that it is the closeness the child feels to Dad that is most predictably associated with positive outcomes. Even an uninvolved Dad, if present, is significantly better than no father.