“What we find surprising and new is that a father’s love and involvement are turning out to be just as important as that of the mother,” says Rohner…

As babies grow older, many come to prefer playing with their fathers who provide unpredictable, stimulating and exciting interaction. This stimulation is important because it fosters healthy development of the baby’s brain and can have lasting effects on children’s social, emotional, and intellectual development. Infants with involved fathers tend to score higher on tests of thinking skills and brain development.

Source: The Times Record
http://www.times-online.com/articles/2006/06/13/news/06yourhealth.txt