Permissive Dads Give Toddlers an Edge

We all know about the "mommy" part of early child development. According to attachment theory, the nurturance that primary caregivers (usually mothers) provide to young children provides them with grounding and support to venture out on their own.  A new study, however, shows that the "daddy" part might have been getting short shrift this whole time.

Ask any dad who's been chided by his wife for throwing Junior too high up in the air or letting him climb too high up a tree, and he'll tell you: fathers' wisdom says that being a little less protective is actually good for the kid. This study, by researchers at Université de Montréal School of Psychoeducation and the Université du Québec à Montréal confirms this by showing that "fathers are more inclined than mothers to activate exploratory behavior by being less protective." According to "activation theory, "the less the parent is protective, the more activated is the exploratory behavior in the child. Children who were optimally stimulated... were exploratory yet respective of the rules."

Also not surprising, boys were more likely have their development supported by this form of activation than girls, who were more often risk-averse.