Dads With Beards: What Kids Really Think of Dad's Facial Hair

2. Why are some kids scared of beards?

A beard changes the shape of a face, and young children are still learning which faces are safe. Fear of unfamiliar people is a normal stage. According to the Merck Manual, stranger anxiety begins at about 8 to 9 months and resolves by age 2.

• A big beard hides the mouth, so smiles are harder for a child to read.
• A child who rarely sees beards has nothing to compare one with.
• A deep voice and a tall body add to the effect.
• Being rushed into a hug makes any fear worse.

The same source says comforting the child and not overreacting is usually all that is needed. Let the child watch from a parent's lap, keep your voice soft and wait. Scolding a frightened child doesn't help, and it isn't one of the calm, steady ways to discipline children that do work. If a fear is very strong or lasts a long time, ask your pediatrician.

3. Why do kids love their dad's beard?

Kids love Dad's beard because it belongs to Dad: it is there at pickup, at story time and at bedtime. Familiar things feel safe, and a beard is one of the most familiar things about him.

• It is something to touch while they settle down.
• It makes Dad easy to spot in a crowd or a class photo.
• It tickles during a goodnight kiss, which is a game all by itself.
• It makes him look like the pirates, wizards and lumberjacks in their books.

Those small daily moments are also how you build a strong relationship with toddlers. The beard is just the prop. The time on the couch is the real thing, and it is a big part of how to be a good dad.

We have a mug for the dad who takes the job seriously. It reads "With great beard comes great responsibility" in bold block letters, and story time is a good place to use it.

4. Why do babies cry when Dad shaves his beard?

A baby who cries after a shave isn't upset about the beard. For a moment, the baby doesn't recognize the face. In one family video reported by TODAY, 10-month-old twins cried when their dad shaved his head and beard. They settled once he held them and they heard his voice.

• Talk before you walk in, so your voice arrives first.
• Let your child watch you shave, or trim in stages over a week.
• Keep the rest the same: same glasses, same shirt, same silly song.
• Don't push for a hug. Give it a few minutes, or the rest of the day.

Older kids may simply complain that you look strange. That passes too. It is one of those small changes dads worry about and children forget, and it is nothing like the real parenting regrets fathers talk about later.

5. How can dads make a beard fun for kids?

Turn the beard into a game your child is allowed to lead. A beard is the one toy that is always in the room.

• Beard salon: hair clips, bows and a hand mirror.
• Bubble beards at bath time, so the kids get one too.
• Character voices at story time: pirate, wizard, grumpy bear.
• A monthly photo of your child measuring the beard with a ruler.
• A holiday beard with a few small ornaments or a string of tinsel.

Games like these are an easy answer for a dad looking for ways to be a good dad on a normal weekday. They cost nothing and take ten minutes.

After a salon session, the right mug is the one that says "Don't hate me because I'm beardiful". Ours has a drawing of a bearded man in sunglasses above the words. He wears no hair clips, so your version will be better.

6. How do you keep a beard kid-friendly?

Keep it clean, keep it soft and let your child decide how close to get. Kids put their hands and faces in it, so treat it like something they touch every day.

• Wash it when you wash your face, and again after messy meals.
• Comb it, so little fingers don't snag.
• Watch your baby's cheeks after cuddles. If the skin stays red, ask your pediatrician.
• Agree on one rule: gentle hands, no pulling.
• Ask before a tickle. "No" counts, even from a three-year-old.

A small routine like this fits well with other tips for dads and with the dad goals you set for the year. And when your child reaches the age of eye rolls and "Dad, please shave," our guide on how to deal with your teenager may help more than a razor.

7. What is a good gift for a dad with a beard?

Give him something he will use every morning that jokes about the beard his kids already love. A mug works because it sits on the breakfast table, right where the beard jokes happen.

• Pick the line that sounds like him: proud, silly or know-it-all.
• Let the kids hand it over with a card they made themselves.
• Add his usual coffee or tea, so he can use it that morning.

For the dad who answers every "why?" at the table, we have a mug printed "That's what I do I grow a beard and I know things". It suits Father's Day, a birthday or an ordinary Saturday.

Planning for June? Read why funny Father's Day mugs go over so well, and why it matters to celebrate Father's Day at all. For December, we have a guide to Christmas gifts for dad, and if he drinks his coffee on the road, look at a travel mug for dad. The bearded uncle in the family has his own shelf of bearded funcle mugs, and you can see all of our dad mugs in one place.

Your kids won't remember how tidy the beard was. They will remember that it tickled, and that you let them put bows in it.