Simple Ways To Be A Better Dad
The impact that an involved father can have on their child’s life can’t be underestimated. Children who have an involved father, step-father, or another father figure in their lives tend to be happier, healthier, and more successful than those who don’t. If you want to be the very best dad that you can be for your kids, try some of these simple ideas.
Respect Your Child’s Other Parent
When children can see that their parents respect each other, they are much more likely to feel that they are respected too. Seeing the adults that they live with treating each other with respect and approaching any family challenges by cooperating and showing empathy will teach your children good examples of relationship building too.
Spend Time With Your Children
If you find that you’re always busy and saying no to your kids, they will feel neglected, even if you’re busy with something important. Scrolling through your phone while your kids play nearby is not the same as spending time with them. Set aside some time for interacting with them and find ways to have fun together, whether you watch a movie together or buy a traxxas rustler 4×4 vxl for the whole family to take out to race around together.
Earn The Right To Be Heard
Talk to your kids right from when they’re very young, and talk to them about lots of different things. When they talk, make sure you listen to their problems and ideas. If you can establish an open dialogue early on, they will be more likely to talk to you when they get older too.
Discipline With Love
All children need discipline, not for punishment, but to set limits and to help them learn consequences. Dads who can discipline in a calm, fair way are showing their love. Children are perceptive and they will pick up on the social cues you show them. They’ll quickly learn the difference between discipline and punishment.
Be A Role Model
Whether you realize it or not, you are a role model to your kids. You can teach your children how to live with honesty, humility, and responsibility. How you behave will inform how your children treat others and expect others to treat them as they grow up too.
Be A Teacher
If you can teach your children about right and wrong and encourage them to do their best, you can see them grow up to make good choices. Don’t worry about perfection. Connect is more important. You can just use everyday examples to teach the basic lessons of life.
Eat Together As A Family
Eating together can be a big part of family life. It can give your children the chance to talk about what they’re up to and for you all to spend time together.
Read To Your Children
Read to your children from a young age. Even babies will benefit from the time a parent spends reading to them. Instilling a love of reading will also help your children to grow later in life, both personally and professionally.
Categories: Outside Contributors, Parenting & Fatherhood