Being a dad is important and rarely celebrated. Can we just take a minute to celebrate Dad? If you’re reading this and you’re a dad, I want you to emphatically know—you matter! A whole lot. Science proves it, and psychology proves it, but most importantly, you prove it each day that you stand in the gap for your family in this world. Each day that you lead them, love them, provide for them, protect them, and teach them, you are fulfilling the greatest task you’ll ever be charged with— fatherhood.
The mission of All Pro Dad is to strengthen families by helping them love well. We want to openly discuss the challenges that face us as men and provide viable solutions. If you are here, that means that you care as deeply as we do that your family thrives and is successful. In your honor, here are 5 essential qualities a determined dad brings to his children.
1. Motivation
You are the catalyst for your child’s motivation. You never give up on them no matter how challenging it can get. And you continually spur them to do better, work harder, care deeper, and excel to the best of their abilities. Our children long to make us proud. Here’s a favorite quote – “My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could ever give another person: he believed in me.”— Coach Jim Valvano.
2. Moral Compass
It’s our sacred duty to instill right from wrong in our kids. We accomplish this by example. We don’t just tell them how to live, they learn by watching us do it every day. As the wise Proverbs tells us, “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”
3. Stability
There are medical conditions and chemical imbalances that go beyond our control as parents. However, in an otherwise healthy child, the presence of and relationship with their dad is key to the mental health of children. ‘Daddy issues’ is not just cultural slang. It’s real. Never abdicate your authority and duty as a father to your kids. The wrong things will be waiting to fill the void left behind. Stand firm.
4. Discipline
By filling your natural discipline role, you’re providing consequence to action. Solid parental discipline is a balance between nurturing and structure. We set clear expectations, enforce rules consistently, and teach personal responsibility. We earned respect not by yelling or bullying, but by simply ensuring there will be a consequence of both good and bad actions.
5. Providing Security
In the eyes of a little child, the world is BIG. And so are you, Dad. You’re Superman. We cherish that role and earn it each day. Security is born from one place: love. Keep on loving your family.
Huddle up with your kids and ask, “What is your favorite part of being a _________ (insert your last name)?”