Just the other day my oldest son asked:
"Daddy, am I old enough to call you Dad?"
Won't be long now before he is asking for the car keys.......
Here are a few things I'm learning as well as some important things I've discovered so far about this thing called fathering.
1. You really have to give up the myth of quality time vs quantity time. By the time the average child is 7 years old, they have watched 20,000 commercials. Given that amount of influence, infrequent "quality time" just doesn't cut it. It has to be quantity time that's of high quality.
2. As a dad you have been influenced and effected by the generations of fathering that went on before you. By the same token, the fathering we do will not effect only the children in our home. The job we do as fathers, for better or worse, will effect generations to come.
3. Sue Shellenbarer, a columnist for The Wall Street Journal has coined the phrase the "tomorrow trap." She describes the tomorrow trap as "living for the future, taking refuge in visions of a relaxed and rewarding personal and family life somewhere down the road.....a kind of mirage that people chase while in reality they are burying themselves in work and other pursuits."
Ouch. Sounds familiar to me, how about you? As dads we have to remember that not only does "someday" never come, it's not even on the calendar. Spend the savored time now, because today is here.
4. Some of us may not have had the best model for a dad in our own father, or perhaps no model at all. That's sad and painful. What it is not is an excuse. It can be a springboard for change. Whatever has been handed down to us, we can decide to change in this generation. There is so much information available now on how to do this dad thing.
5. Just he other day a father asked me "how do I play with my little kids." While it's sad that the question has to be asked, the answer is really quite simple. Get down on the floor with them, and let them lead. You follow.
6. "Daddy's home!" are two of the best words in the English language.
Visit secretsofgreatrelationships.com for tips and tools for creating and growing a great relationship. You can also subscribe to our f*r*e*e 10 day e-program on how to enrich your relationship today, from relationship coach and expert Jeff Herring.
Wood Dale Chicago prom limo .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareIn elementary school it's pretty straightforward: bringing in cupcakes to... Read More
If you're a single parent or a married couple on... Read More
There are software programs that you can purchase to keep... Read More
Impulsivity is one of the hallmarks of people with Attention... Read More
Is there anything wrong with lying, cheating, stealing, shop-lifting, taking... Read More
Dear Sir, It was with some interest that I read... Read More
I could nearly fund my children's future education if I... Read More
"All that I am or ever hope to be, I... Read More
Under the "No Child Left Behind Act," public schools whose... Read More
KIDS AND THE NEWSMore than ever, children witness innumerable, sometimes... Read More
It's among the top criticism wives have of their husbands:... Read More
Search for Assurance: The Power of BelongingThe job hunt is... Read More
Blink. That's all we did, blink, and summer is ending... Read More
Because most teens have not had the experience of getting... Read More
I was reading "A Modern Infant Armada", a humor column... Read More
When we talk about attention, we are talking about two... Read More
"I WON'T DO IT!" "YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!"Whether parent or... Read More
This past holiday season Canadians spent over $45 billion-with parents... Read More
What a dreamer I am when thinking about parenthood. Most... Read More
Ah, potty training! Go to a local bookseller and you... Read More
I wanted to share with you one of the most... Read More
One of my first memories of childhood is that of... Read More
There may really be a real monster under your kid???s... Read More
Most of us can agree that there is a lack... Read More
Travel is a common theme in my life -- probably... Read More
Antigo wedding limo ..I was changing Ford's diaper the other day when he... Read More
Blink. That's all we did, blink, and summer is ending... Read More
Everyone in a private practice setting who works with children... Read More
For troubled teens who are struggling with drug abuse, depression... Read More
Life is funny.My twenty-year-old daughter, Melanie, has a her new... Read More
Chiladult? Whatever you call them, teenagers are a changin' and... Read More
Dear friends here we will charge up our mind with... Read More
You do what you can to keep your little ones... Read More
Imagine yourself lying flat on your back, totally strapped down... Read More
We all know that using cloth nappies is best for... Read More
It's the first day of the summer holiday. Five year-old... Read More
Although nothing anybody says can ever completely prepare a woman... Read More
A strange thing happened to me today. Or more precisely,... Read More
Drivers 16 years of age have little driving experience, putting... Read More
Not many things are more upsetting than discovering that your... Read More
When your child shows signs of potty training readiness, it's... Read More
Attention all parents of teen-agers. Here is an important, groundbreaking... Read More
What would it be like to have a clone? What... Read More
Some years ago when touring the Scottish Highlands, a man... Read More
4 traps to avoidTrap 1 - Parents need to realize... Read More
It is hard to believe that summer is coming to... Read More
Why Me?"We should certainly count our blessings, but we should... Read More
(Isaiah 11:6 KJV) The wolf also shall dwell with the... Read More
We were all teens at one time for some many... Read More
Giving with a happy heart. If you teach a child... Read More
Parenting |