Being a dad is no child’s play. Pun intended.
You’re expected to be a role model and set an example for your children. You have to be the taskmaster and ensure discipline prevails. You have to practice what you preach. And most importantly, you need to have the “cool” factor. After all, you’ve got to be the greatest dad on the planet to your children!
Without further ado, here are ten actionable tips and advice for becoming the coolest dad on the planet.
(Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/girl-father-portrait-eyes-outdoor-1641215/)
1. Love All Your Kids Equally
As much as studies prove that ‘parents totally have a favorite child,’ love and treat all your kids equally.
View them as individuals with a different set of capabilities, talents and personalities and give them the same amount of importance. This plays a crucial role in shaping their characteristic traits.
2. Work as a Team
When raising children, make sure that you and your partner work as a team with your kids and with your kids. This strengthens their emotional development and social skills.
A case in point is that of the Gardners, whose daily routine with their quadruplets is fun to watch. Look at their blog and YouTube channel, which document their parenting journey and how they work as a team of six, doing everything together.
3. Use Positive Words
Using positive language with an encouraging smile can effectively help boost the self-confidence of your child whether you are disciplining them or talking to them in general.
At the same time, it is also important to praise them more often in public and in person, regardless of the scale of the achievement. This brings us to the next point.
4. Celebrate Each Milestone
While this is the duty of both the parents, as a dad, make special efforts to celebrate each milestone achieved by your children.
Your words of praise are enough for them but you can always go ahead and shower your love for them with their favorite cake, taking them out for a movie, visiting a museum or treating them to their favorite ice-cream.
(Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/father-son-hammock-boy-child-1633655/)
5. Document the Best Moments
Keep documenting the best moments from your kid’s life, especially the ones they spent with you.
Their priceless expressions when they see their first ever fireworks, the not-so-perfect pictures from an impromptu picnic, or the snapshots from their first hilarious attempt at baking can be some of the precious moments to capture on camera and save forever.
6. Have a Reading Routine
Kids derive more benefits when they hear bedtime stories being read by their fathers. Make it a point to have a reading routine with your children on a regular basis and the earlier you start, the better it will be for them.
Apart from honing their imagination and adding to their vocabulary, the simple and fun activity helps you bond better. Besides, you will also love reading some of the children’s books written by famous or new authors on the block!
(Image Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/kid-s-plating-water-on-grass-field-during-daytime-51349/)
7. Focus on the Little Surprises
Do we even need to tell you that kids love surprises? They are easily pleased with the little joys of life; imagine the level of their happiness when you do something unexpectedly for them. Consider arranging a scavenger hunt to make them find the toy you bought for them or turning your backyard into a place for them to have fun all year round. Here are some inspiring ideas you can use!
8. Cook up a Storm in the Kitchen
Cooking is a tried-and-tested method for parents to connect with their kids, whether it is cooking a meal together or making a Popsicle treat for the entire family.
The idea is to collaborate with them, teach them to be independent, and have lots of fun and laughter as you cook up a storm in the kitchen. If the kids are too young to help you prepare a meal, you can make them assist you as your little ‘sous-chefs.’
9. Learn Something New
You are never too old to learn something new. With this spirit, take a class with your kid. It can be anything relevant to their/your interests such as taekwondo, swimming, pottery, painting, drawing, clay modeling, and so on. It is an excellent way to pick up a new skill together, spend time on a one-on-one basis and have something to talk about.
10. Connect with Nature
Whenever possible, leave the car behind and take long walks with your kids to squeeze in some more quality time with them. There’s nothing like it especially if you can go hiking or even biking, and appreciate nature along the way. It will give you a quick break from the chaos of work and bring your little ones the immense joy of discovering nature.
You can combine other activities such as fishing, camping, kayaking, surfing, boating, bird watching, collecting leaves, or nature photography depending on the time you have. There are avalon pontoon boats for sale right now if you are still looking for a good boat to buy.
Protect Them At All Cost
One of the best onscreen “dads,” Yondu from Guardians of the Galaxy taught us a very important lesson in parenting in the second installment of the Marvel movie. He showed that protecting children should be a priority for dads, come what may. In the same vein, ensure that your words feel protected and safe round-the-clock. Reassure them by being vocal about this by saying, “I’ll be there for you every time you need me.”
That said, use these actionable tips and advice, which will help you ace fatherhood, and remember that no parenting book that will ever teach you the best lessons or sure-fire ways to be popular with your children. You need to learn this on-the-fly as your children grow in front of you!
Leave us your thoughts on this in the comments section.
Image: Above images are used under Creative Commons license.
Featured Image: Flickr photo
