Being a father and parent is a tough but also fulfilling role and job. Kids are a lot of work and having a family and a career doesn’t leave a whole lot of time for you.
If you’re struggling to figure out how to best manage all your to-dos and be a good role model then you’ve come to the right place to learn how to be a better dad and parent. Be proud of yourself for taking the first step which is putting forth more of an effort to improve and make a better life for your family and kids.
Spend Quality Time with Your Kids
Quality time with your kids is essential to you building a deeper bond and bringing your family closer together again. You can be a better parent by making it a point to spend more time with your kids and making more room in your schedule for them. When you do hang out with your children make sure you put your phone away and eliminate any distractions so you can give them your full attention. Participate in activities you all enjoy doing and have fun laughing and being together.
Make Wise Financial Decisions
Another important matter when it comes to raising a family and kids is your finances. Making wise financial decisions is one way to be a better dad and parent. Always be thinking about the family and everyone’s needs before taking actions that you may later regret. If you’re looking for ways to earn more you may consider getting a second job or trading and investing your money. In this case, it’s in your best interest to learn more about and study market capitalisation so you can choose the right investment and be successful.
Listen & Offer Advice
You can be a better dad and parent by lending an open ear and listening to your kids when they want to talk. It’s your opportunity to hear them out without judgment and to be there for your children when they may need you the most. Think through what life lessons and experiences you’ve had and share advice with your kids that will help them lead healthy, safe, and happy lives. Engage in conversation with your children and use it as an opportunity to get to know each other better and get on the same page.
Practice Patience
It’s essential that if you want to be a better dad and parent that you learn to be more patient with your kids. Practice patience and you’ll likely discover it’s easier to communicate and get through to your children and that they listen better. They’re looking up to you and watching your every move and will also learn to be more patient if you demonstrate this skill in your daily life. Not only be patient with your kids but also with yourself because you will make mistakes. However, instead of being too hard on yourself, use these situations as opportunities to learn from your errors and improve or modify your approach in the future.
The demanding jobs and time spent away tend to toughen the relationship-building process between a father and a child. Dads have a different parenting style.; they cannot replace the other parent when the latter is not around. However, fathers need to take their time to bond with their children since this will build an even stronger relationship.
Fathers play a significant role in their families, and good father involvement has been connected to improved social responsiveness, cognitive developments, freedoms, and gender role establishment in kids. So, the following are ways fathers can bond with their children and make a difference in their lives.
Focus on Daily Task
Some examples of daily tasks include washing, getting dressed, and playing. Most fathers tend to think that they have to figure out, at any cost, quality time or spend some special times with their children. But fathers usually spend less time with their kids when compared to mothers. So, don’t feel so much obliged to take them for a vacation on an exotic island.
Don’t get it wrong; it is totally okay to do so. However, what matters more is happening right under your nose, inside your home. You will be astonished to realize that you are good at many things.
Share Your Daddy Duties
Some specific jobs tend to be earmarked for fathers. But it never hurts to allow your children to join you in some of the chores. You can get your children to help you wash your car, build a structure, or even fix the plumbing.
Children tend to enjoy a lot of things that adults would otherwise consider dull or boring. Doing chores with your kids offers you an excellent way to bond with them while also teaching them how to do them.
Exercise Together
In many instances, parents tend to spend their time bonding with kids during stationary activities like watching a TV show. However, exercise offers a unique way for fathers to bond with their kids. Exercise allows your children to experience improved communication, and more importantly, develop and practice teamwork. These two skills are vital in your children’s development.
On the other hand, teamwork is the best way to teach your kids how to come together and work towards a primary goal. Also, as a working dad, you spend most of your time away from your kids, so exercising with them gives you the best opportunity to know your kids better. You will get to understand their weaknesses and strengths.
This will then help you identify what drives your child and encourage good behavior while cutting bad habits.
Bedtime Stories
This is one of the best ways to create a long-lasting memory with your kids. Bedtime stories are usually associated with mothers; however, a recent study has revealed that kids tend to develop more when their father reads them bedtime stories. In addition, dads have been found to initiate a more creative discussion and help improve their kid’s language development.
Dads are usually working late and are not home before the kids are asleep. They are typically exhausted and stresses to face the fifteen minutes of bedtime stories. But as a father, you must acknowledge the secrets mums have when it comes to bonding with their children; bedtime stories. Apart from strengthening your bond, bedtime stores can help you relax.
Communication is Important
From an early stage, fathers need to listen to their children without judging them or trying to fix things right away. The other parent might not be focusing too much on what the children are going through, so it is your duty as their father to establish a strong relationship and develop an effective communication strategy. Your child might want to tell you something that happens while you are at work, so listen. And before you take any action, learn more about the grounds for divorce.
To motivate your child to open up, pick opportunities where you can listen to what they have to say. For instance, you can take them fishing, go to a sports event or take a road trip. When with your children, give them your full attention, stop what you are doing and reflect on what they are trying to tell you.
Be Available
For a long time now, fathers have been the busy bees. The work pressure and fatigue pushes them to come home late and stay away from their children. But as a father, you need to make time for your kids. Kids tend to be more attached to the parent that is with them during their most challenging moments. Be with your children and give them a shoulder to lean on whenever they are down.
Not showing up to an important event in your child’s life can drastically affect their relationship. As hard as it might be, try to attend.
Have Meals Together
Meals are one of the best ways of bringing people closer together. This is particularly true for families with small children. Eating meals as a family has many mental, social, and nutritional benefits. Additionally, children and parents can share their experiences, hopes, dreams, and expectations. Besides, mealtime conversations can improve your children’s language skills hence enhancing their reading capabilities.
Respect your Children
Occasionally, parents talk to their children in the same tone they would speak to an adult. However, it is important to note that, just like adults, kids can feel emotions of hurt and embarrassment. Avoid brushing them off whenever they say something. Doing so only makes them feel sad, offended, and ignored.
So, try to listen to their ideas with attention and respect what they have to say. Regardless of your child’s age, it is essential to make them feel important. Be a good role model; speak to your children the way you expect them to talk to you, and the respect will be reciprocated. The bond between a father and his children can affect the outcome of a child’s life and the relationships that he or she will have. So, spending time together, reading them bedtime stories, establishing effective communication, being available, and eating meals together will help you become a better father. All your efforts will help your children form attitudes that enable them to grow into understanding people.
Being a dad is tough work. Working, taking the kiddos to their activities, and still trying to find time for yourself is no easy task. And being on-the-go can become stressful and overwhelming if you aren’t prepared for the busy times you are going to encounter. So, how can you make your busy life a little easier? Well, you can make sure you have a few must-haves on hand to keep you going, organized, and ready to tackle whatever heads your way.
Sunscreen
Though you may find yourself covered in dirt, grime, and gunk throughout your day, you want to be sure that you are protecting your skin as best as you can before you start your day. Wearing sunscreen is the best way to make sure you are protecting your skin and making sure it is healthy in the long run. Plus, when your kiddos see you put your sunscreen on, it is a great example to be setting for them when it comes to skin health and overall wellness. You can even make applying sunscreen a part of the family routine in the morning. That way everyone wins and has protected skin.
A new wallet
A Ridge wallet is going to be a game changer for any man, but especially for a Dad that is always on the move. If you are always on the go, you don’t want to be carrying around too much or have a wallet that is bursting at the seams. A new wallet will help you keep only the essentials on you and not weigh your pockets down. Plus, since you have to carry your cards around, you might as well get something that you know will be worth it. Why wait for a wallet emergency to strike, upgrade now and save yourself from the future headache.
A hydration pack
If you are always on the move, it is highly likely that you aren’t going to be able to remember to carry your water bottle with you too. It will get left at the store, in the car, or at home, rendering them virtually useless. So, why not carry your water in an easy-to-wear hydration pack? Being dehydrated is a bad habit you need to kick. A hydration pack will make it so your water is always with you, you have extra room for your essentials, and you aren’t forgetting it at home or in the car. Plus, it makes it so much easier to hydrate on the go. You will wonder what took you so long to get one.
A hat collection
Like we mentioned before, protecting yourself from the sun is a vital aspect of being an on-the-go dad. And another way to protect yourself and your skin is by wearing a hat. Of course, there are tons of hats to choose from, so this is where you can let your creativity and fashion sense soar. You can have a nice everyday hat that can take you to the office or running errands, one that will help you best during outdoor activities like working out, or just an everyday baseball cap to sport your favorite team, for comfort and style. No matter what hat you choose, it is a must-have to keep you cool, calm, collected, and happy in even the most stressful Dad situations.
Alright, now listen, Dad. We know you spend most of your time caring for others. But, make sure that you are taking care of yourself sometimes too. Be sure you have a few of these must-haves ready to go, and you will be able to conquer it all… and then do it all again tomorrow.
An at-home dad on a mission to keep it real when it comes to food, fun, and raising a healthy, happy family.
