Here Are 5 Ways Dads Can Connect with Their Children
Play With Them
Kids love games, especially before they hit the teen years. When fathers play with their children, they give them attention, show that the things that interest the child are important to them and they spend quality time together. It’s not always easy, of course, when you’re not really interested in the game your child wants to play. Or when you have a hundred other things on your mind, like work, bills, and when you can get to sleep. However, the investment can be worthwhile. Think of it that each game you play adds another level of connection to your precious relationship.
Show Their Mother Respect
What does a mother have to do with a father-child relationship, you ask? When a father respects his child’s mother, it creates a positive environment for the child. This is true whether the couple is together or divorced. When parents badmouth each other, it can lead to low self-esteem, loneliness, and psychological distress of the child. All of these things will make actually connecting with your children very, very hard. Not to mention all the issues it will cause them later on in life.
Don’t Be Afraid of a Little Roughhousing
Whereas mothers tend to be on the more protective side of the spectrum, dads know how to push the boundaries a little. This includes roughhousing with kids, which can be defined as “boisterous play“. While roughhousing can easily turn into fighting, if dad is involved, he can keep things under control. The benefits of roughhousing are many. They range from teaching kids to set boundaries, building self-confidence, even helping kids stand up to bullying.
Ask Questions
When kids are young, it’s easy to spend time with them, ask how their day was, etc. Younger children are generally eager to communicate and have an easy time opening up. But as children get older, opening up can get more difficult. They suddenly have their own lives outside of the house, they’re interested in all sorts of things that you never heard of or couldn’t care less about. In these situations, asking questions is a great way to get kids to open up.
Spend Time Together One-on-One
When kids have siblings, it can be hard to get the one-on-one attention they crave from their dads. Especially since fathers today are more involved in household chores and childcare, getting time alone with dad can be a challenge. That’s why it’s important for fathers to designate time — even just a few minutes a day — when it’s just you and your child. It can be time that you play together, time when you talk or going for a walk around the block. Whatever you do, it should be just the two of you. Your child will look back on those memories fondly.
Life Insurance as Protection For Your Child
You will spend your entire life as a parent building and maintaining connections to your children. As a father, you’ll want to give your child the world, including attention, material possessions, and love. And as a father, you’ll want your children to be taken care of in case the worst should happen and you are no longer able to care for them.
