Happy Father’s Day! Last night a question popped into my head as I remembered the great father figures in my life. What makes a great father a great father? Coming from a girl that bounced from household to household I’ve seen my fair share of good, not so good and nonexistent fathers. I decided to gather the top five traits of a great dad in order to help and inspire our men to create stronger family units in our community.
Spend Time:
Many men think that their only purpose or role in the household is to have money and provide. This causes a lot of stress in many families because if a man is unable to provide, perhaps in between jobs, they feel like a failure. As a result, many men flee the household assuming that if they are failing then they might as well not stick around when nothing could be further from the truth. Men, your job is not just to have and spend money. It’s to share in the responsibilities of raising a child. So, when you lack in one area I beg of you to pick up in other areas. I had to tell my own dad, as an adult woman, that I wish he would have at least spent his time when he was unable to spend his money. Spend that time with your children and trust me when I say those memories will one day be worth more than any dollar amount.
Get Money:
I know I said spending time will one day be worth more than money but we all know just how important finances really are. As much as we wish we could raise our children on love, we need money in order to survive and thrive. So, don’t ignore that feeling inside of you when your baby is born that tells you to step up your game.
Teach:
What is something your father taught you that you will never forget? Teaching your children about life and life skills will stay with them forever. It could be something as small as brushing your teeth. But, imagine that child thinking of that moment every time they brush their teeth. That’s everyday! Learning and teaching have a huge impact on a child or any human being really.
Respect the Mother
You laid with her. She changed her life for an entire nine months to create that blessing. Respect should be a bare minimum for the woman that performed the miracle of life for you. I never understood down talking your child’s other parent because they too are a direct reflection of you. Respect goes a long long way.
Dedication:
Raising a child is not easy. Nor is it always fun. Raising a child will have you thinking “WTF?” at least twice a day. The stand out feature in all great dads is their dedication. Saying to themselves “no matter what I will always be there for my children” that’s the major key.
Spend time, get money, teach, respect, and dedication are all of the top traits of a great father. What do you think? If I left out anything help us out and add to the list in the comments. Okay, I’m off to celebrate Father’s Day with one of the best dads around, my husband! Shout out to Mr. Pickens. Nora and I love you so much! Happy Father’s Day to all the father figures, especially to the great active everyday fathers. The real unsung heroes!