Research has found that children with emotionally available fathers do much better in school, relate better with teachers and generally have better peer relationships than children whose fathers are more emotionally distant.
Children with fathers who are overly critical or dismissing of emotions are more likely to do poorly in school, fight more with friends and suffer poor health.
The single most preventative factor for reducing behavioral risks such as drug and alcohol abuse, early sexual activity, smoking and depression, is children's relationship to their parents, with fathers being noted as being of particular importance.
Being known means letting down the walls and sharing your life story, and having the courage to show your flaws, fears and joys.
This is not to say that one should overburden a child with inappropriate revelations - it's about giving your child the gift of knowing who you are and what you feel on a regular basis.
What was your relationship like with your father? What were you like as a kid? Children need and want genuine insights into who you were (and are) as a person, not just as their father, but so that they can better understand who they are and where they come from.
Let them into your experiences - the good and the bad, being embarrassed and feeling anxious, overcoming challenges, etc.
Share your stories about your life with your child.
What stories are appropriate to share? The short answer is, trust your gut.
While there are no hard and fast rules, here are a few guidelines: Let your stories emerge naturally and in context.
Bring up subjects too sometimes by saying things like, "when I was your age, I used to feel self conscious.
Do you feel like that sometimes?" Tell them stories about things that are going on in your present life too.
Include how you feel about things and not just facts.
When you talk about your own feelings, you help children understand theirs.
When telling you child about your own childhood and the relationship you had with your father, keep in mind that your children have a relationship with their grandfather and do not divide a child's loyalties.
If you had a physically, mentally, sexually or emotionally abusive father, then seek professional advice before sharing such stories; maybe talk about how you try to do things differently than your father did.
As well as sharing your stories you can also improve your relationship with your child in other ways: Have fun.
Fatherhood is a big responsibility but it can also be a lot of fun.
Let them know that you enjoy spending time with them and love being their father.
Try to spend as much time with your children as possible, and take an equal share of the responsibility.
Some fathers miss spending time with their kids because they have other responsibilities or interests, but you have to remember that once the opportunity has passed, it's gone and you can't get it back.
If you don't establish an intimacy with your children when they're young, it'll be difficult to catch up when they're older and still need your help and support.
Practice what you preach.
Children need to be taught right from wrong and will need to see it demonstrated by their father.
Let them see you make decisions and explain to them why you came to that resolution.
Tell them about life choices that you made in the past and why they did (or didn't) work out.
Teach them that it's okay to make mistakes...
everyone does; that it's important to learn from your mistakes and try to avoid making the same mistakes over and over again Show affection.
Some men are uncomfortable showing their children affection and communicating their love, but it not only shows your child that you love them, but it also teaches them that it's okay to show affection to others.
Respect your children's mother.
Mutual respect is very important whether you are married (or living with one another) or not.
Children tend to mimic the way their parents behave and how you treat your child's mother will influence the way in which the child will view his or her own role when they themselves are married or in a relationship.
Try to work as a partnership, be on the same page about how to discipline and reward your child and be consistent.
Don't put unreasonable expectations on your children.
Children can have lots of pressures, from siblings to kids at school to teachers to coaches.
Talk to them about their goals in life and help them set achievable ones.
Never bring them down by telling them that they are not good enough but always try to boost their self esteem and be sure to offer praise where it is due.
Encourage them to meet their full potential but avoid living vicariously through them by expecting them to achieve what you had achieved or hoped to have achieved.
Don't have unreasonable expectations of yourself either as a parent.
You are a very important part of your child's development but many other people and things will influence their development and growth.
Just as you can't take credit for all of your child's strengths you also shouldn't shoulder the blame for their weaknesses.
Finally, realize that your job as a father is not over when they reach 21.
You should encourage them to be independent - emotionally and financially, but at the same time, let them know that you love them and will always be there for them.