--- title: How Father Involvement and Bi-Strategic Parenting Positively Affect Children’s Brain Development description: Michael Gurian of Spokane Fatherhood Initiative and Christopher Brown of National Fatherhood Initiative® discuss father involvement and bi-strategic parenting. image: https://www.fatherhood.org/hubfs/Images/Blog/NFI_Blog_bi-stategic-parenting.jpg --- [Skip to main content](https://www.fatherhood.org/championing-fatherhood/father-involvement-bi-strategic-parenting-positively-affect-childrens-brain-development#main) - [![NFI mark](https://www.fatherhood.org/hubfs/NFI-Assets/images/NFI%20mark.svg)FATHERHOOD.ORG](https://www.fatherhood.org/) - [STORE.FATHERHOOD.ORG](https://store.fatherhood.org/) [![NFI_logo_blue_left (1) 1](https://www.fatherhood.org/hs-fs/hubfs/NFI-Assets/images/NFI_logo_blue_left%20(1)%201.png?width=149&height=82&name=NFI_logo_blue_left%20(1)%201.png) ![NFI_logo_blue_left (1) 1](https://www.fatherhood.org/hs-fs/hubfs/NFI-Assets/images/NFI_logo_blue_left%20(1)%201.png?width=119&height=65&name=NFI_logo_blue_left%20(1)%201.png) ![NFI_logo_blue_left (1) 1](https://www.fatherhood.org/hs-fs/hubfs/NFI-Assets/images/NFI_logo_blue_left%20(1)%201.png?width=119&height=66&name=NFI_logo_blue_left%20(1)%201.png) ![NFI_logo_blue_left (1) 1](https://www.fatherhood.org/hs-fs/hubfs/NFI-Assets/images/NFI_logo_blue_left%20(1)%201.png?width=89&height=49&name=NFI_logo_blue_left%20(1)%201.png) ](https://www.fatherhood.org) - [How To Build Strong Families](https://www.fatherhood.org/build-strong-families) - [Why Father Inclusion Matters](https://www.fatherhood.org/why-father-inclusion-matters) - Show submenu for Get Involved Get Involved - [Fatherhood Programs](https://www.fatherhood.org/solutions/programs-and-resources) - [Train Your Staff](https://www.fatherhood.org/solutions/staff-training) - [State, County, and City Agency Services](https://www.fatherhood.org/solutions/collaborative-services) Open main navigation Close main navigation - Show submenu for Get Informed Get Informed - [How To Build Strong Families](https://www.fatherhood.org/build-strong-families) - [Why Father Inclusion Matters](https://www.fatherhood.org/why-father-inclusion-matters) - [Father Stats & Infographics](https://www.fatherhood.org/father-absence-statistic) - Show submenu for Get Involved Get Involved - [Fatherhood Programs](https://www.fatherhood.org/solutions/programs-and-resources) - [Train Your Staff](https://www.fatherhood.org/solutions/staff-training) - [State, County, and City Agency Services](https://www.fatherhood.org/solutions/collaborative-services) - Show submenu for Get Started Get Started - [Find Your Stage of Father Inclusion](https://www.fatherhood.org/father-inclusion) - [How Father Friendly Is Your Organization?](https://www.fatherhood.org/father-friendly) - [Get In Touch](https://www.fatherhood.org/get-started) [Store](https://store.fatherhood.org/?hsLang=en) [Get In Touch](https://www.fatherhood.org/get-started) [Store](https://store.fatherhood.org/?hsLang=en) Show submenu for Get Started Get Started - [Fatherhood Data & Statistics](https://www.fatherhood.org/father-absence-statistic) - [How Father Friendly is Your Organization?](https://www.fatherhood.org/father-friendly) - [Other Free Resources](https://www.fatherhood.org/nfi-free-resources) - [Talk With us to Get Started](https://www.fatherhood.org/get-started) National Fatherhood Initiative Blog / [Latest Articles](https://www.fatherhood.org/championing-fatherhood) [General Fatherhood Program Resources](https://www.fatherhood.org/championing-fatherhood/topic/general-fatherhood-program-resources) # How Father Involvement and Bi-Strategic Parenting Positively Affect Children’s Brain Development 1 min read ![Christopher A. Brown](https://www.fatherhood.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Images/chris_circle_icon.png?width=100&height=100&name=chris_circle_icon.png) [** Christopher A. Brown ** ](https://www.fatherhood.org/championing-fatherhood/author/christopher-a-brown) Chris serves as the President of National Fatherhood Initiative® (NFI), where he is responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of NFI's strategic plan and business model, as well as its operations and fundraising efforts. ![NFI_Blog_bi-stategic-parenting](https://www.fatherhood.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Images/Blog/NFI_Blog_bi-stategic-parenting.jpg?width=453&height=305&name=NFI_Blog_bi-stategic-parenting.jpg) We talk a lot at [National Fatherhood Initiative](https://fatherhood.org/)® (NFI) about how father involvement [positively affects](https://www.fatherhood.org/hubfs/2022%20Strengths%20Based%20Infographics/strengths-of-father-presence.pdf) children’s emotional and social development. Did you know that it also positively affects children’s physical development? Yep. It sure does. And that includes their brain development. I recently appeared as a guest on the podcast [*Wonder of Parenting: A Brain-Science Approach to Parenting*](https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/wonderofparenting?selected=POD9445000960). It’s co-hosted by Dr. Michael Gurian, one of this country’s leading experts on the impact of positive parenting on children’s brain development.[*](https://www.fatherhood.org/championing-fatherhood/father-involvement-bi-strategic-parenting-positively-affect-childrens-brain-development#learn-more) During the [30-minute podcast](https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/wonderofparenting?selected=POD9445000960), Michael and I delved into a range of topics around father involvement. Michael talked about the impact of father involvement in developing the connections in the brain that are vital to so many human functions. He also talked about how dads and moms can use [“bi-strategic parenting”](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-minds-boys-and-girls/202002/is-it-always-wrong-tell-child-stop-crying) to raise healthy children. I encourage you to listen to this short podcast. In addition to the subject of this post, you’ll learn about: - How the unique gifts that dads and moms bring to parenting combine to positively impact children’s development (that’s bi-strategic parenting) - The positive impact of father involvement on children’s emotional and social development - The positive impact of father involvement on moms and communities - Five cross-cultural characteristics that mark good fathering - Father absence at the national and state levels - The risks to children when they grow up without a dad  I also share what brought me to work at NFI, and how my experience growing up with an uninvolved dad affected how I raised my children. I hope you find the podcast helpful. Don’t hesitate to drop me a note on your thoughts. Email me at [cbrown@fatherhood.org](mailto:cbrown@fatherhood.org). Do you know how father involvement positively impacts children’s development? To learn about all the ways that it does, acquire [*Father Facts*](https://store.fatherhood.org/father-facts-eighth-edition/). I guarantee you’ll learn something new. Had you heard the term “bi-strategic parenting” before you read this post? * To learn more about Dr. Gurian and his work through the Gurian Institute, visit [gurianinstitute.com](https://gurianinstitute.com). I’ve had the pleasure to know and learn from him over many years. He is a board member of the [Spokane Fatherhood Initiative](https://www.spofi.org), an NFI partner. 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