Fast Takes

I came across some interesting information at fathers.com:

Playing games, drawing pictures or initiating other fun activities are wonderful ways to enhance and strengthen your fathering skills. Researchers have repeatedly confirmed that when fathers engage in systematic playful activities, it benefits their children in a number of ways: 1) It helps their children develop a problem-solving capacity. 2) It increases their trust in their father. 3) It allows them to express new emotions. 4) It builds their self-confidence.

The study also showed the impact play can have on fathers, like increased empathy toward and acceptance of their children, lower stress levels and fewer problems with their children's behavior.

Looking at my own experience and pulling from some of the best ideas I've read about, some great (and fast!) ways for busy dads to let off some steam and also make a world of difference for their kids include:

1) Play a board game (don't be fettered by a 3-hour game of MONOPOLY, you can play a 2-minute round of Boggle or a quick game of checkers)

2) Play cards (my kids love UNO--it's fun and it's fast!)

3) Assemble a puzzle together (they're not all 1,000 pieces, but if it is a bigger puzzle, do a little each day after work until it's finished)

4) Build a LEGO structure together (admit it, Dad, you love LEGO, it makes you think of being a kid yourself and truth be told, you never would have stopped if you hadn't become so "cool!" Come on, feel the rush of that LEGO sound as you rifle for the right piece and build the skyscraper you always imagined! Like the jigsaw puzzle, add a little each day until the moonbase is complete)

5) Grab the crayons or markers and draw a picture (a quick and great after work activity--maybe suggest that you and your kids draw what you did that day at school or work, then tell each other about it after you draw it)

As Father's Day approaches, I'm going to give myself a gift: more quality time with my kids--playing, exploring, creating and growing together.