Did you know that men have oxytocin too??

Oxytocin is the love hormone which is released when children interact with their parents. Interestingly though, the activity that produces the most oxytocin for parent and child differs depending on whether the child is interacting with their mum or dad.

In dad's case, he and his child get a peak in oxytocin from playing with each other. This may explain why dads may prefer playing to caretaking, and why children preferentially seek them out as play partners. So while dad is sometimes labelled as the 'fun' parent, there is a hormonal prompt behind his desire to play with his children. This is not to say that dads don't get a neurochemical reward from caring for their baby. It's just not quite as big a hit as a good bout of rough and tumble play.

Interesting huh!