They say that, If you love your kids, being a great dad is easy. Frankly, that’s a bit oversimplified. Loving your kids and being a great dad don’t always go hand-in-hand. You need to work at it, put in some effort and thought, and do the right things. Below are 5 Tips that will help.
Tip 1: Spend a little time every day with your kids. A little bit of love, attention and affection can go a long way. If you’re like most men these days you lead a pretty busy life. That being said, squeezing in time to be with the kids, ask them how they’re doing, show interest in their interests and just be there with them, will do wonders for their self-esteem and your long-term relationship with them.
Tip 2: Don’t be afraid to show your children physical affection. Here’s a fact; Real men hug, kiss and cuddle with their children. Yes, it might seem awkward as they get older, but only if you make it awkward. The simple fact is that humans need love and affection and children need it even more. A hug, kiss on the cheek or tousle of their hair can do wonders for their self-worth.
Tip 3: Don’t be sexist. The old norms about what mothers and fathers do are quickly disappearing. Cleaning the house, cooking some meals, changing diapers and all of the other chores and tasks that used to be traditionally handled by mom are now being handled by mom and dad. It’s important to show your children, especially as they get older, that men and women are equal, and a good way to do this is to take an equal responsibility for all chores around the house.
Tip 4: Read books to your kids. In today’s electronically connected world it’s easy to forget that reading a book to your child is a lot of fun and also extremely important. Many children’s books are a real hoot, and most children love to hear them read aloud. Not only that but hearing you speak helps them to learn to read as well, a fundamental skill that will pay huge dividends throughout their entire life.
Tip 5: Take good care of yourself. Here’s a fact; your children look up to you and follow your example. If you smoke too much, drink too much, eat too much or whatever, they will do those things also. If you sit on the couch and watch TV all day, you can bet that they will one day do the same. On the other hand, if you eat well, get lots of physical exercise, drink responsibly and (hopefully) don’t smoke, the chances that your children will do those things also are much higher.