There are no fundamental rules of fatherhood. Sceptics believe fatherhood is too complicated. A father is a pillar of strength, support and discipline. His work is endless and, oftentimes, thankless.
There cannot be a good or a bad father. For a child, his own father is the best. But when it comes to playing a huge role in your child’s life, a father has to become better from what he is. Your child looks up to you and you want him to learn the best. Which is why, you have to do the best.
We all want to be great dads, but chances are, our fathers never sat down with us and taught us how to be one. Here is your chance to learn some tricks on being better at what you love- being a father!
Love and Respect Their Mother
Children are naturally more close to their mothers than their fathers. If you will treat their mother right, they automatically will love you. Additionally, a loving couple can provide their children with a secure environment. Your daughter will know what to look in a man, and your son will learn how to treat women with respect.
Be a Good Disciplinarian
A good father strongly disapproves of his children’s misdeeds. But he proves his point using tough love. He does this through the power of his words, not his fists. Remind your children of the consequences of their actions and provide meaningful rewards for desirable behaviour. Fathers who discipline in a calm and fair manner show love for their children.
Be a Role Model
Fathers are role models to their kids whether they realize it or not. A girl who spends time with a loving father grows up knowing she deserves to be treated with respect by boys, and what to look for in a husband. Fathers can teach sons what is important in life by demonstrating honesty, humility, and responsibility.
Allow You Kids Some Mistakes
A good father realizes that his children are human, and that making mistakes is part of growing up. Spending money recklessly, getting into minor car accidents, getting drunk and sick for the first time, even dating questionable women are rites of passage, and a good father recognizes this. However, make it clear to your kids that repeated irresponsibility won’t be tolerated.
Be Open-minded
A good father understands that times, people and tastes change over the years, and doesn’t try to maintain some gold standard of his own time. For instance, he realizes that body piercings are more commonplace than before, that more couples have premarital sex, and that people talk more candidly about personal issues. In other words, he allows his children to be citizens of their day and age.
Spend Quality time with Family
A dad knows how to have fun with his kids too, taking them out to games, movies, and supporting their sports teams by attending their matches. He takes the time to listen to his kids and have a good, easy chat with them. He also makes time to help them with their homework, every night if necessary.
Be Small
As in, don’t back off from accepting your mistakes. Take a back seat, figuratively speaking, three or four times a week. Say, “Maybe.” Say, “I don’t know.” Now and then, tell the kids you’re sorry. There are plenty of things to apologize for: anger, inattention, bad career planning, lack of whatever. Mean it. Be sorry. You’ll feel brand new.
Realise you Job is Never Done
Even after children are grown and ready to leave home, they still look to their fathers for wisdom and advice. Whether it is continued schooling, a new job, or a wedding, fathers continue to play an essential part in the lives of their children as they grow and, perhaps, marry and build their own families.
Everyone is different and a father knows this well. He won’t expect his kids to live the same kind of life he does, and do the same kind of work. To be a great father, give your kids a little space to move around in, to test their thoughts and strengths.
