I thought you might like this “Fathering by Connection” story.
I'm the one who is the most enthusiastic about all this connection/playful parenting. Everything I have seriously tried has made my relationship with our son better. My husband has been skeptical at times.
But yesterday, when we were trying to get our son to take a bath and wash his hair, something my son hates, my husband started acting silly and became a “hair-washing machine,” using a robot voice, etc. My husband got our son in the tub with no crying, got him to sit down with no crying and washed his hair with minimal crying. We were all laughing about the “hair-washing machine.”
I had never had success cutting my son's nails when he was awake. But later that same day–I couldn't believe it!– the “nail-cutting machine” did it without a flinch! Fathers are great!
–a mother in Oakland, CA