Secrets of being a good father

Nobody said being a good father was easy. No matter what age your child is or how many children you have, you have to know that a father’s work is never done. To be a good father, you have to be present, be a good disciplinarian and role model, and be sympathetic to your children’s needs without being a pushover. If you want to know how to be a good father, just follow these steps.

Make time for your kids

Your children don’t care if you’ve just had a big promotion at your company or whether or not you own the most expensive house on the block. What they do care about is whether or not you’ll be home in time for dinner, if you’ll take them to the baseball game on Sunday, and if you’ll be around for movie night that week. If you want to be a good father, then you have to set aside time every day for your children — or at least every week — no matter how busy you are.

• Plug this time into your schedule. Maybe your best nights for your children are Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Take the time to put in extra care during those days, and don’t let other commitments get in the way.

• If you have more than one child, then you should make time to see each child individually, so your unique relationships can develop.

• If you’re so tired that you can’t possibly make yourself get up to basketball with your child, do something else with them instead, like watching a basketball game or a basketball-themed movie. It’s important that you’re there in some capacity.

Teach your children the important lessons. 

You should also be present to teach your children how to complete the basic tasks of life. You can help your son use the bathroom, teach your children to brush their teeth properly, help them learn how to ride a bike, and teach them to drive when the time comes. You can also teach your sons how to shave and maintain good hygiene. Your kids will need you to learn the big life lessons as well as the small everyday tasks.

• Split these lessons with your co-parent. You should both teach your children the important things they need to know to grow up.
• Help your children learn from their mistakes. If they’ve done something wrong, you should help them see why and talk about how to avoid the behavior in the future instead of simply punishing them and moving on.
• Praise your child’s efforts constantly and be gentle with your criticisms. Attitude will go a long way as your child develops self-esteem.

Plan trips with your kids

To be a good father, you should take the time to go trips with your kids — with or without their mother. You can take a yearly fishing trip with your daughters, a trip to the beach with your son, or a camping trip that your kids will never forget. Whatever you do, try to make it special, memorable, and something that can be repeated at least once a year so that you’ve developed a fun daddy-centric routine.

• If the children’s mother is present during the trips, take some time to bond solo with your kids when you can.

• Planning these trips a few months in advance will give your kids something fun and different to look forward to.

Valuing of mother

Showing respect and love of our kids’ mother. This isn’t about just always agreeing with mum! Valuing is similar to validating our partner for who they are with all their imperfections. Showing love and respect requires action, not just thoughts, and teaches our sons and daughters how to be treated.

Don’t yell

Though you may feel enraged by your children’s behavior, yelling is not the solution. If you have to yell, try yelling when you’re alone, in the shower, or into a pillow. But don’t yell at your children, no matter how bad the urge is.You can raise your voice slightly to let them know they’ve made a mistake, but if you yell or scream, they’ll be afraid of you and won’t want to communicate.

• Though it may be tough, you shouldn’t let your children see you lose control.

Don’t get violent