How to Be a Great Dad

It has been said that anyone can be a father, but it takes a special person to be a dad. Its a job that lasts for a lifetime, and though it is a lot of work, building great relationships with your children and illustrating to them what a great dad is will impact their development as well as their own parenting skills one day.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Stay connected to your children – no matter how busy you are or how difficult it may seem. The smallest gestures of love and attention from a father are invaluable. Even on the busiest day, asking your child questions to connect with them lets them know you care regardless of what your schedule may be.
   
2. Support their mom. In addition to remaining connected to your kids, encourage them to stay connected to their mom. It teaches boys to respect women, and illustrates to boys and girls what a healthy mother-father relationship is.
3. Love your children for who they are. Value their uniqueness and let them know that you do.
4. Parent in a style that is comfortable to you. It may be different than their mother's parenting style, and that is okay. Children who can relate to parents in different ways can be a good thing.
5. Share discipline with their mother. Balancing out this unavoidable aspect of parenting makes it more difficult for one parent to become the "bad guy".
6. Show rather than tell. Setting a good example speaks volumes.
7. Show emotions. Let your children know that even as an adult, you can sometimes feel sad, lonely or scared. Show them that you can shed tears, give and receive hugs. Expressing your feelings demonstrates that you can be trusted with your childrens' feelings and experiences.