If there’s one thing any father will tell you, it’s that you’ve signed up for a life that is filled with both love and sacrifice. Having a baby of your own and starting a family comes with its fair share of responsibility, but it’s something we hope to have one day.
Luckily for you, your time has come, and amazingly, you want to become the best dad in the world. First, you should know that you can become the best dad to your child. It’s one of those things that are unique, so be the best you can be, and you will love every experience that accompanies becoming an ideal father figure.
The second most important piece of advice you’ll get is that being a good dad isn’t easy. No matter your child’s age or how many children you have, a father’s job is a lifelong commitment. To become a better father, you must be present, a disciplinarian, and a role model. Be loving and correct with love. Cater to your child’s needs with the consciousness that you’re the adult, and you know what’s best for him or her.
Here are ten (10) practices you can apply to become a better father.
1 – Be There
Trying to balance your time between work and family can be challenging for many fathers. Ever since you were a child, you’ve been taught to be the provider and that comes with a lot of long working hours. You may have to get two jobs just to make enough to keep the home.
Unfortunately, that isn’t a priority for your child. Your children don’t care if you just got a big promotion or whether or not you own an island and you’re the richest man on the block. What matters most to them is your presence at home and in their lives. Children love to see their fathers during dinner, at their games, and on movie nights.
To become a better father, you must step away from your busy schedule and make time for your family. No matter how busy you are, at least try to be there for your kids every week. Make this your number 1 priority. It could be any day of the week but make sure you devote 100% of the allocated time to being there and laughing with your child.
Fathers with more than one child should make time to see each child individually, so they can develop a unique relationship with you. Doing this will bring you, your child, and your family more happiness than you can imagine.
2 – Celebrate The Milestones
Planning “daddy time” will eventually lead you to do something only the best dads do. You will know what’s going on in your child’s life and be there to celebrate their accomplishments. Being there for important milestones is something many adults never get to enjoy from their fathers, and you know firsthand how that feels.
Today, we have smartphones and cloud storage, which make it easy to capture great moments and store them for a very long time. As parents, you should align your work schedule with your child’s life so you’re there on their first day of school, prom, graduation, major sporting events, wedding, etc.
These moments stay with your child for life, and having you there will mean a lot. Regardless of how busy you think you are, missing out on important milestones will cause you to regret it later.
3 – Teach Your Children Important Lessons
As a parent, you are responsible for teaching your children important life lessons. You can teach your child how to wash their hands after using the bathroom, brush before bed, shave, and drive.
Your kids will need help finding their way in a very big world, and they look up to you to help them differentiate right from wrong. They will come to you for help with big and small decisions.
When necessary, discuss the lessons you teach your child with your partner. You should both be united and complement each other and the lessons you teach the children. Mistakes are inevitable, and your kids will make mistakes. If they’ve done something wrong, help them see their mistakes and learn from them.
4 – Develop Strong Communication
Being able to communicate with a child is something many fathers fail at, but it is one of the most important duties of a father. Communication doesn’t always mean you do something exciting or outdoors with your kids. In most cases, it’s about understanding your child’s moods, struggles, and concerns.
5 – Road Trips/ Vacations
Nothing screams “best dad in the world,” like spending a weekend or even a few hours with your child. Go somewhere new, have fun, and play. Doing what your kids love will get you a special place in their hearts. You can visit Disney World, the aquarium, go camping, or take a trip to the beach. These are activities your kids will never forget.
6 – Become a Better Man
While it’s important to make time for your kids, it’s also important you try to get some alone time once in a while. Don’t completely neglect yourself and your needs. Doing what makes you happy makes you a better and happier father to your children. It could be half an hour or a run every week. Whatever it is, do not forget to be happy. If you neglect your needs, you can easily become angry, frustrated, and stressed, making you unfit to give your kids the love and attention they deserve.
7 – Reward your Children
No child should be denied love and affection. But there should also be rewards for a job well done. Rewarding your children appropriately encourages them to repeat good behaviors. Whether they’ve performed well in school or done their chores excellently, you should show them how proud you are of them.
8 – Don’t Yell
This is going to be a very tricky rule to follow. There is a very thin line between correcting your child and yelling at them from a place of anger. Though you may feel like a bomb is about to go off, yelling is not the solution. If you must let out all that emotion, do it when you’re alone, for example, when you’re in the shower or on a pillow. But no matter how bad it gets, avoid yelling at your children at all costs.
9 – Don’t Get Violent
This is an important rule not just because you don’t want child services at your door but because of its effect on your child. Hurting or grabbing your children isn’t as effective as many parents believe it to be. Becoming violent with your child hurts them and causes them to shut down and become distant.
10 – Treat your Partner with Respect
If you’re married to your child’s second parent, you should let your kids see how much love and respect you share. Help them out, enjoy their company, and respect their opinions.
Being mean or violent to your partner sets a bad example for your child. It teaches them that being mean and violent toward others is okay.
Wrap Up
Being a dad will test you in more ways than you can imagine. The most important thing is that you continue aspiring to be better. It doesn’t matter what has happened in the past. If you make up your mind to become a better father today and mean it, you can begin to turn things around.
We hope this has helped point out areas in which you can improve. We’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to leave a comment below.
