So you have just had a baby and you want to be a great dad. You decide to pop down to your local bookstore and by a book that will tell you exactly what to do, and hey ho! You will be a great dad, if only! We all know this is not remotely true! This got me thinking about what does make a great dad?
Here I am building a workshop, with my son
I have always believed in listening to your children when they are talking to you and not dismissing them, and making out their opinions or thoughts are not important. This is because they are important to them, so they should be important to you. Also putting down your mobile phone when they are talking is another good idea. Putting it simply give them your 100% attention.
2. Spending Time With Your Children
We all lead busy lives and sometimes itâs difficult to balance work and family time, but making the effort for family time is so important for a couple of reasons. One: You maybe regret missing out on those milestones that your children reach, because once they have gone they have gone forever. What dad wants to miss out those first steps, starting school etc?
Secondly your children will remember when they are grown up that dad was around and involved in their lives. This will form a bond that will never be forgotten or broken. I know that from experience. They will remember that dad was always there to help in any way he can. You are one of your childâs security blankets from the minute theyâre born. You are the net that catches them when things go wrong.
Men as a general rule do not know or are unwilling to ask for help. The reasoning behind this is probably one of pride which is something I think is misplaced. Saying that you are not coping well, or in fact have no idea how to be a dad, well, we just donât do that. I have asked for advice and help on many occasions.
Asking for help is a lot easier than you think it could be. Asking your own dad or granddad is a great idea. After all theyâre dads too, and they may not know all the answers, but they can listen and advise.
Another fantastic way of finding help is going online. There are so many resources and help available online today. The another day I was browsing the internet, when I came across an awesome website called Organic Man. This is perfect if you are looking for advice and help for any part of being a dad, and you feel uncomfortable talking to close relatives. Sometimes it helps to get the help you need from somebody who can be more objective because they donât have a personal relationship with you. So often they can see the wood from the trees.
Organic Man was started by Matt Hall who is an executive coach, but more importantly a father of three daughters. He set it up to help busy dads play a more active and meaningful part of their childrenâs lives.
Organic Man is a coaching program that helps good men become great dads because we live in the 21st century that is moving so fast itâs hard to find the right balance between family and work which enables men to have the best of both worlds.
I cannot put enough emphasis on this one. To be a great dad, love your children with all your heart unconditionally. The reward is youâre loved back, and your children will never forget the love you have for them, and they will pass that onto their children. What a wonderful legacy to pass onto to your children. Worth so much more than money.
So thatâs it. Good men can make great dads. We will all make mistakes and then sometimes get it exactly right, but that in a way is part of the joy of being a dad. Becoming a dad is a huge learning curve that takes years to master, I have been a dad for 22 years and I am still learning, and yes I still get it occasionally very wrong.
Always laugh and have fun with your children and be there for them for every part of their childhood and beyond. Remember to just stop and think. Your children need you to be constant in their life.
What do you think makes a great dad? I would love to know.
