The Impact Fathers Have on a Healthy Child Development and How to Enhance Father’s Engagement

This week’s episode guest is Neil Tift who is the Outreach Coordinator for the Native American Fatherhood & Families Association (NAFFA) in Mesa Arizona. Neil is a biological father, an adoptive father, a grandfather of fourteen and a foster father. He starts by defining what is child development, when it starts, and the difference in the development of boys and girls in different stages of their development. Neil tells us the difference between how a mother interacts with a child compared to a father. He says as parents we help mode a male child’s masculinity. He explains how we as men can help young men and young ladies to stay away from gangs, young pregnancy, and dropping out of school, just to name a few benefits. He says 89% of men in prison come from fatherless homes. Neil explains the different ways girls and boys deal with issues, pain, and or trauma. He tells us how important it is for a father to teach a child impulse control. He tells us how kids spell love, T-I-M-E. 
Neil can be reached at neilt@aznaffa.org or by calling the organization at 480-833-5007.