Research increasingly supports the notion that active and involved fathering exerts profound influence on a child's social and intellectual development.

Studies have shown that positive interaction between fathers and children at two years of age was a positive predictor of the child's feeling secure at 10 years and of his good social adjustment at 16 years.

In Singapore, the Centre for Fathering equips Dads with family life skills that help them understand the importance of their role.

Family counsellor Philip Chang said that being held by the father in the first few months of life will help babies form a better and more secure attachment to this parent.

'Today's fathers are definitely more involved, right from the infant stage, which is very important for emotional development,' Mr Chang said, adding that clear and gentle communication with Dad can help children immensely.

Dr Frederick Goh, a general practitioner, 40, father of six children aged between 14 and 11/2 years, agreed. He said he took on the night duty of changing and feeding them. 'The baby is helped by a new pair of hands,' he said. 'Some fathers may be afraid of dropping the baby, but they only need to relax and hold the baby.'

'It's nice when your kids come and look for you. Now my kids stay up and wait for me if I'm late back from work. My daughter will call and say, 'Daddy, when are you coming home?' '

Dr Goh believes it is important to talk to babies and to young children. He said he talks to his children as if they were young adults. 'It helps in language development and better communication,' he said.

A British study by the department of social policy and social work at Oxford University in 2002 showed that close interaction between fathers and children at the age of seven predicted close relationships at the age of 16 and marital satisfaction and general psychological well-being at 33 years.

American researchers found in a national survey that a young adult's adjustment to life depends even more on the quality of the relationship he had as a teenager with his father than with his mother.

Mr Chang said a common obstacle that derails the father-child relationship is the notion of success that fathers have for their children. All fathers want their children to do well or excel in school.

'This leads them to pressure the child instead of inspiring, encouraging and motivating him,' he said.

He added that many fathers tend to have a 'problem solving mentality' that doesn't allow for conversations about feelings. 'Problems at home cannot be fixed like a business problem. Just getting angry and using the cane is not the solution,' he said.

At the centre, fathers learn how to enforce discipline, but along with communication about feelings and emotions. 'This is easier when Dads are involved right from the beginning because the baby then associates warmth and security with the father as well as mother,' he said.

This article was first published in Mind Your Body, The Straits Times on May 14, 2008.