You have an instinct as a dad, even a brand new one. Don't be afraid to trust it. You see this with new dads holding their new babies. It starts as cuddling & rocking & stroking their heads, cheeks, those tiny fingers. And that will go on for a few months. But there is an inevitable point... where dad will do something that mom will NEVER do. Dad will THROW THAT BABY! It will start small. A gentle toss, barely leaving his hands. But then a positive feedback loop will begin. The first time dad gets a hint of a smile from that little bundle (OR a panicked gasp from mom!) MARS is the next destination for that baby. THAT'S the dad difference. The WSJ wrote an article titled "Roughhousing Lessons from Dad" and highlighted research that exposed several tendencies of dads with kids. Check these out.... #1 - Walk the Line - Dads put safety 2nd. They walk a slack-line between safety and letting their kids take risks. When my second son was around 10, he wondered if our WWII army cot could function as a hang glider. TOTALLY GET IT. Sooo, I let him JUMP OFF the garden shed with this thing over his back. It was maybe a 5' drop onto the lawn. After questioning and doubting, he asked what I thought. I told him he'd be OK! Off he went. He landed it but, admittedly, a bit hard but very much uninjured.🫢 "DAD!" he cried. You promised I wouldn't get hurt!" "I'm sorry buddy! I promised you'd be OK! You're alright. Let's have a look." From the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics in a 2011 study - Dads walk a line in play—protecting kids without removing all risk. Small scrapes teach children how to manage fear, set limits with peers, and make emotionally intelligent decisions under pressure. #2 - Player and Coach - During rough and tumble play (a key feature of whole-hearted fathering), dad's tend to play two roles. They simultaneously get in on the action, engaging in play AND they act as coach. The coach sets and enforces rules, adds elements of structure to play and calls timeouts as needed. As a player, dad elevates the level of play.