Every child needs love and guidance above anything else and as a father you have a wonderful opportunity to bestow the gift of love on your child.

Tips for being a great father

    • Give your children credit – they are usually smarter than you think! Expect a great deal from your children and they will rise to the occasion. By setting your expectations in a loving way about things such as good manners and efforts at school, and expecting them to do well, they will know that you think a lot of them and will in turn respond positively.
    • Let them follow their own life path but be there to guide and support them in whatever they choose, rather than pushing them into following in your footsteps. They have their own desires and interests. As a father, your job is to help them discover their gifts and talents.
    • Always encourage your children. Give them love, give them respect and give them as much freedom and real responsibility as they can handle. However, do not set too high standards that may lead to failure and loss of confidence.
    • Acknowledge and celebrate your children’s accomplishments, but do not make their achievements the basis of your love and attention. Don’t jump in with your advice on how they “should” do things. Just be there to support and encourage them.
    • Spend some one-on-one quality time with your children as often as possible. Share at least one meal a day together. This is what brings and keeps families together. Enjoy the special moments together now so that one day you and your children can cherish the memories.
    • Truly listen to your children. Ask for and let them know that their opinion counts. Don’t just listen to the words, but listen to what lies between the lines. “Hear” what your children are really saying.
    • Part of listening and responding is to be able to say “no” when appropriate. This will teach your children discipline and self-control.
    • Teach your children a sense of duty, of responsibility and good morals.
    • Walk the talk. Set your children an example of integrity under all circumstances. Ensure that your thoughts, words, feelings and actions are all in agreement. Be very honest with your children as they will know when you are not telling the truth.
    • Laugh often with your children. Apparently, children under the age of seven laugh 700 times a day, whereas adults on average laugh only four times a day! So, you have a lot of catching up to do. Look for humour and share moments of joy with your children and the rest of the family.
    • Always protect your children, but don’t smother them.
    • Don’t show favouritism among your children but appreciate their individual uniqueness. Not all children are created equal or are alike. Create opportunities to find out how much your child has to offer.
    • Also, as a father, always be sure to treat the mother of your child well. This is where your children will learn very important lessons about the relationships between men and women.
    • Finally, truly love your children. You may say you love them, but if they don’t feel loved, then they aren’t loved.

 

Sources

 

Babauta, L. The awesome dad cheat sheet: 18 fatherhood tips they should’ve handed out at the delivery room. Retrieved from http://www.artofmanliness.com/2008/08/03/18-tips-for-being-a-great-dad.
How to be a good father: tips & advice for dads. Retrieved from http://www.brighthorizons.com/family-resources/e-family-news/2012-the-art-of-being-a-father

 

(Revised by M van Deventer)