“Fathers matter. New research underscores the importance of fathers in their children’s lives. Children who are close with their fathers display more advanced problem solving skills as infants, higher IQs by age three and better quantitative and verbal abilities by school age than those children with absent or less-involved fathers.

Socially, children with engaged fathers have fewer behavioral problems, greater empathy, fewer conflicts with peers, less delinquent behavior and are less likely to use drugs or lie. Psychologically, experts believe that a present and engaged father is linked with higher self-esteem, self-reported happiness and less depression.”

— Dr. Samantha Boardman
Clinical Instructor in Psychiatry and Public Health
Assistant Attending Psychiatrist
Weill Cornell Medical College

Here, the good doctor shares fatherly advice from fathers she knows well.

1. Say “I don’t know” when you don’t know.
2. Treat the janitor with the same respect as you treat your boss.
3. Only boring people get bored.
4. Know when to say sorry – and mean it.
5. Stick up for the underdog.
6. Ask yourself: will you be proud of this decision tomorrow.
7. It’s nice to be important. But it’s more important to be nice.
8. Play one sport, one card game and one board game very well.
9. Never offend. Unintentionally.
10. Bathroom humor is always funny.

For more fatherly advice, click here.