Dads: Provide for Your Families

Dads: How to Provide for Your Family, by Dr. Brad Schwall 

Fathers must provide for their families in many other ways than just financially.  Care from dads is unique and important because they have their own unique experiences as men.  Boys can learn from their fathers' example about being a man and girls can learn from their fathers about how to relate to the opposite sex.

Dads, decide how you want to be involved in your children's lives by thinking about how you will want your children to describe your fathering when they are grown.

• Provide attention – listen, talk, spend time with your family
• Provide modeling of positive behavior – model appropriate communication, anger-management, and decision-making
• Provide guidance – be there to offer guidance for making good choices
• Provide affirmation – affirm your kids for who they are and affirm your wife for her parenting

How Can Dads Make Time for their Families?

• Prioritize – make your family your priority on your calendar and with your attention
• Balance – balance your own interests such as golf or watching sports with plenty of time with your family

Your kids are kids only once.  As a father, your children are your greatest legacy.  How you care for them now will impact who they grow to be and how you relate to them for life.