PeekabooNWA

Dad’s View 2009

Posted on 02. Jan, 2009 by admin in A Dad's View

2009 – so long 2008 – A year of ups and downs for me as a Dad.  It started with the early birth of my baby boy, filled with watching my girl discover a love of playing basketball, then concluded with an unsuccessful fifteen month fight for custody of our oldest son.  As we reflect on things that went good and things that went bad in 08; we should remember that the past is beyond our control and is not for us to change; but to learn from and use as a tool to help carve out our future and the future of our families.

New Year’s resolutions have always been fun and have rarely come to fruition.  Keeping with the idea of resolutions, I would like to give my take on ten things we can resolve to do to that will help us Fathers become an All-Pro Dad.

1.  Love our wife – Loving our wives will do more than get us that newest gadget we’ve been asking for – it will benefit our marriage and will provide a sense of security for our children while teaching them the importance of kindness, humility, faithfulness, trust, patience, and more patience.

2. Spend quality time with our children Our priorities are reflected by what we spend our time doing.  There are so many things that we can do to let our kids know that they are our priority – a simple call after they get out of school to ask how their day went shows them that even though we are at work and have important things to do, they are even more important.

3.  Be a role model – NBA great, Charles Barkley, doesn’t want to be a role model for our kids – nor should he have to be.  Our kids should be able to look across the breakfast table and see their role model – one that stands for what is right and is consistent and unwavering in fighting for their best interest.

4. Understand our children – This should be rather easy for us to do since our wives remind us periodically throughout the year that we are just overgrown kids.  Just remember that each one of our kids have been blessed with unique qualities that we should celebrate with them.

5. Show affection – This world can be a scary place and that is only magnified when you are 4 foot tall.  We should make every effort to provide our children security within our embrace while telling them we love them every day and proving it to them when we are not telling them.

6. Enjoy our children – Watching or coaching a little league game, having a pre-dinner tea party in your daughter’s room, or letting them school you in Guitar Hero are things our children will remember and by doing things they enjoy will give us things to remember as they will undoubtedly grow up way too fast.

7. Eat together as a family – You may be thinking this is far-fetched.  I know this is tough one that I personally have resolved to do a better job of this upcoming year.  As most families, we are always on the go and at a crazy pace and consider it an accomplishment just to find the time to eat; let alone at the dinner table.  When we do eat at home, it always starts with “Dad, can we eat at the coffee table in the living room.”   Family dinner time is a great time for connecting – so we should use it to the fullest.

8. Discipline with a gentle spirit – “This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you” was one of the craziest things my dad ever told me – I now realize it was one of the most honest.  As much as it is not fun – it is that much more important.  Not that we should use it to intimidate or tear down; but to guide, strengthen and prepare our little ones on their path to independence.

9. Pray and worship together – This one is probably one of the easiest; yet, it provides the most benefit and influence on the hearts of our children.  Those bedtime prayers go a long way and listening to our children pray at night and what they pray for is one of the most obvious ways God reminds my wife and I just how much of a blessing each of our three kids are to us.

10.  Realize you’re a father forever – This one is very important to me and one that I think is crucial.  It does not matter what the situation is with us and our children, we are their father.  It does not matter if they live across the country or if we rarely get to communicate with them – we are their father and that is nothing that anyone can take away from you.  Whatever you represent – is what our children will understand a father to be.  So, this year I ask you to join me in a New Year’s resolution to be the best dad our children could hope for – be an All-Pro Dad.