Part of the responsibility of being a father is to establish a strong foundation for the family. Just like a building foundation, much of this work goes unseen and rarely gets acknowledged, yet the strength and integrity of the entire structure relies on it. The following intentions, although not always perfectly fulfilled, give us guidance in our mission.
Grounded in Reality
While my children may put me on a pedestal, I have my feet firmly on the ground and acknowledge my own strengths and weaknesses.
Demonstrative Love
I take the time to know and understand the best way to communicate my love to each and every child. My children see my love for my wife clearly expressed.
Mutual Respect.
By honoring and never ridiculing the thoughts, emotions and actions of my family, each member clearly experiences and understands my great respect for them.
Consistently Predictable.
My family is comforted and anchored by my predictability. My deepest values are consistently
demonstrated in my speech and behavior.
Predictable Spontaneity.
My family knows that I am extremely curious and love to explore and learn. My spontaneity is
consistent. We plan with flexibility, and the children look forward to unexpected adventures.
Responsible.
My children see how I prepare and follow through, owning up to my responsibilities. They learn by my example.
Safety/Security
I take safety very seriously and my children know it. They have learned by my examples, for instance: I always wear a helmet when skating, skiing or bicycle riding, and I take first-aid and CPR classes. Our car does not go into motion until all seat belts, including mine, are on. Primary
Advocate
My children know that I stand behind them and will protect, defend and honor them at all times. I do not discuss my children's failings with others.
Serious Humor
I deliberately use humor liberally to lighten stress and lubricate relationships to ensure a cohesive family.
WYSIWYG What you see is what you get.
I practice what I preach and that includes accepting human frailty and mistakes. The greatest foundation for a family is living with integrity.
Copyright 2004 by CoachVille, Dovid Grossman and Ken Mossman
Duplication, with attribution, permitted and encouraged.
www.coachville.com
From CoachVille's "Awesome Dads, dare to be a hero!" community.
Check us out at: www.coachville.com
About The Author
My father was a very successful engineer. But he and I never got along, and we fought all the time. One day, when I was 17, I told him, "I always wanted a close relationship with you, but we don't have it." I watched as three tears squeezed out of his pained eyes. And he said, "I've always wanted that, too, but I just don't know how to do it." Since that day, we haven't argued. I got it. I understood his love for me was really deep. A lot of fathers are in the same boat. They love their kids dearly. But they don't know how to express this in a way that their kids understand it. Which means there's great pain in one of the most important relationships in their lives. I offer adventure, mentoring and coaching programs for fathers to become Awesome Dads. The benefits are a lifetime of pleasure and pride with the most important people in their lives. Dovid Grossman
best cleaning company Highland Park ..Boredom, limited space and overflowing energy are a source of... Read More
Home schooling. What is it? What does it mean to... Read More
Not many things are more upsetting than discovering that your... Read More
A fun way to build your child's imaginationWriting is still... Read More
Dining in a restaurant with kids can be very enervating... Read More
Research literature, recent books, and common sense, all point to... Read More
Life is funny.My twenty-year-old daughter, Melanie, has a her new... Read More
"Not another meeting!"That tends to be the reaction from many... Read More
Suppose that you rearrange your life to homeschool your child... Read More
Despite the theory that people have kids because they want... Read More
Even as a busy parent, I'm sure you've seen a... Read More
It's back to school time again. Does the thought of... Read More
Levels of SafetyBy teaching our children there are different levels... Read More
Having a baby is one of the most exciting times... Read More
How should one look upon Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)... Read More
This year alone, 1,600 teenagers aged 15 to 19 will... Read More
Discipline is a necessary part of parenting yet it makes... Read More
It is so important to create an environment that promotes... Read More
I'll never forget my first lesson in a glider.I'd been... Read More
"Where did he come up with that?" Kids often amaze... Read More
While on a recent trip to the grocery store, I... Read More
Isn't the technology of today is amazing?! Between the speed... Read More
Have you heard the song; "I Hope You Dance"? It... Read More
What do you mean average? Not good? Just doing good... Read More
For every season, check, check, check, There is a chart,... Read More
high-end home cleaning Winnetka ..For most children, it is easy to learn to read... Read More
Thank you to all of our professional educators who dedicate... Read More
It's been said, time and again, that for a child... Read More
Best friends! It may seem impossible to believe, but today's... Read More
As a step daughter and step grand daughter, I followed... Read More
As parents, we love our children and want to do... Read More
Vouchers, which give tax money to parents to pay for... Read More
The most common medications used in the treatment of Attention... Read More
I used to have a really challenging job. It was... Read More
"I WON'T DO IT!" "YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!"Whether parent or... Read More
Q. What's the right age to start giving a Bible... Read More
Q. How do I overcome the 16-year-old who does things... Read More
We all wish that our children should not smoke or... Read More
It's among the top criticism wives have of their husbands:... Read More
First there were Yuppies (Young Urban Professionals). Then came the... Read More
The school holidays are a great time for the kids,... Read More
When you're a parent it's a difficult decision to know... Read More
"If a kid asks where rain comes from, I think... Read More
Encouragement comes when you focus on your child's assets and... Read More
Home-schooling provides children with a superior education. Parents can quickly... Read More
By not planning for the future we guarantee that we... Read More
What would it be like to have a clone? What... Read More
Although it's hard to say when the first stuffed dogs... Read More
You can learn a lot from children.The best part of... Read More
A sure way to double the joys of parenthood is... Read More
Parenting |