Society is changing, and along with that comes the roles and responsibilities within the household. It used to be that dads went to work and brought home the bacon while mom stayed home making sure everything was in its place and tending to the needs of the children. Now, moms are making headway in the corporate world and dads are taking a more active and hands-on approach to raising their children. The dynamic shift can be great for your children. They now have the love, affection, and care of both parents which helps them to be more well-rounded individuals.
Part of being in your kids’ lives more, however, means setting the right example. Whether you know it or not, your children are looking at you as an example of who they should be and how they should act in life. Having a more prevalent presence in their lives means watching your actions and making adjustments that more effectively show your children what it means to be a positive adult. To be the awesome dad and someone your children admire, consider these actions to become a better role model.
Kill Negative Behaviors
Drinking, partying, using drugs, lots of people do it as a form of “release”. However, if these addictive behaviors get out of hand, it could lead to addiction. As addiction is a family disease that can impact not only you but the health and well-being of your family, it is probably best that you stop such negative activities. It doesn’t mean you can’t go out to the bar for a few drinks with the guys, but if you’re partying days are starting to outshine your role as a father, you may need to get help from sources like hotelcaliforniabythesea.com to kick the habits and get back on the right path.
Take Care of Yourself
There’s this weird misconception that guys are pretty unkempt human beings. That if it weren’t for the women in their lives, they’d probably never shower or clean up a day in their lives. As false as this is, you don’t want your children to get caught up in it. They should see you taking care of yourself regularly. From showering and shaving to participating in social activities and having down time to yourself. Self-care will be imperative to them throughout life and you can show them how it’s done.
Tend to Your Relationship
Whether you are with your children’s mother or not, it is imperative that your kids see you engaging in positive and healthy relationships. This means being supportive of your spouse, resolving conflict in a positive manner, and showing your affectionate side. If you’re not together, you should still be supportive of their efforts, be able to handle conflict amicably, and show that you can get along for the common goal of raising your children as co-parents.
Pick Up a Hobby
Dads shouldn’t be all work and no play, your kids need to understand having a healthy balance between the two. You can be a great role model by picking up a hobby or two and indulging on occasion. Who knows, your hobbies could be something that your children are interested in which would give you the perfect opportunity to educate them and bond.
Don’t be Afraid to Show Emotion
Here’s a hard one for some dads. Men are often taught to swallow their emotions or to only deal in two emotions happiness and anger. Your children need to see different. They need to see that it is okay to express yourself, no matter what those emotions are. Don’t be afraid to let them see you show affection, get sad on an emotional movie, or even being upset. Knowing that you can have feelings and move past those emotions constructively is a lesson they’ll need throughout life.
Your kids need positive people they can look up to. It is essentially how they navigate life at such as young age. As their father, you are often one of the first adults they encounter. They watch your every move and hang on your every word. If you want to provide them with the best foundation possible, being a positive role model yourself is a great place to start.
