To Fathers: Your Kids Upbringing and How You Want To Be Remembered

John Jan 02, 2023

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Table of Contents

Raising a Young Boy or Girl
1. Your Own Upbringing
The Role Of Upbringing
1. Children Thrive When Dad Is There
Conclusion
1. Related Articles

Fathers play an integral role in the development of their children, and time spent with them can shape kids’ attitudes towards family as they grow into adulthood. From teaching valuable life lessons to providing guidance when it's needed most, the time dads spend interacting with their kids can have a generational effect on how their children view themselves and how they feel about their own family dynamic.

Raising a Young Boy or Girl

On a practical level, fathers being present at home gives their young kids time to bond with him and form strong relationships. Sharing meals together, playing outdoor games or participating in household chores all help create memories, not to mention good habits, that will stay with the family and your children long after they have grown. Fathers who take time out from work to be there for their young children to pitch in with parenting duties like taking their child to school activities, helping with homework and checking in on them regularly can create a sense of security that is fundamental to their young son's or daughter's emotional development.

father and son

Your Own Upbringing

Positive reinforcement from dads is just as important. Fathers should be encouraging, supportive and loving towards their children, praising them for what they do right and offering guidance when they make mistakes. Think back to your childhood and try to remember a time when your father provided you with positive reinforcement. If you're lucky enough to have such a fond memory, do you recall the pride and joy you received from your father's validation? A memory of a father's approval is a reflection of a good upbringing experience that has lasting impacts and provides a handrail as the child climbs the stairway into adulthood.

Some grown men cannot remember a single time when their father provided any such positive reinforcement, and this may have left a wound that has not ever been addressed. These wounds, whether acknowledged or unacknowledged, affect the man, his perspective, and his relationships in very real ways. A good upbringing by the father can make all the difference in the world for your adult sons or daughters. A father's responsibility to their child is to be present and pour life-giving instruction into them. This will build and strengthen their development as they grow and mature. The father's mindset in their approach to upbringing should be to give of themselves rather than to inadvertently take anything away that could leave a deficit with their child.

The Role Of Upbringing

Such positive reinforcement by dad instils confidence in their kids, giving them the courage to get out of their comfort zone and try new things as they mature. Positive reinforcement also plays an important role in developing their child's healthy self-esteem that will continue into adulthood, impacting how their child views him or herself and the world around them. When a father carefully looks for opportunities to praise their child's accomplishments, both great and small, they are imprinting on their child's spirit and developing his or her self worth that will help them grow into happy and healthy adults that thrive.

The positive reinforcement by dad to son or daughter will enable them to overcome challenges, offer hope, and potentially impact generations through the way in which your child raises their own family someday. Additionally, your children through their courage and confidence can try new things and explore their interests that will make for the creation of their own great stories that will be told now and into the later years of life. Fathers help create good memories of childhood when they're engaged and present.

child with leaves

Children Thrive When Dad Is There

Finally, fathers are able to offer advice on life lessons that only time and experience has taught them. From how to handle difficult situations to imparting values, fathers have a unique understanding of their children’s needs that they can pass on to the next generation. These lessons from the father can offer helpful insight for your child that they just cannot glean from a book or YouTube video, or that may take years for them to develop on their own. Train them in the way they should go now, and help set them along the right path so they're not left wandering to figure it out on their own.

As a father, you have one lifetime to train your children before they leave the nest. And yes, you are ultimately training them to be an adult. A committed father provides the touchstones to life, helping their children understand the environment of human behavior and their own behavioral tendencies within society. When your child begins to grasp the pearls of wisdom that you share about life in general, they in essence can become wise, and be in a position to perhaps make good choices. There are countless examples that a father can share, be it from their own childhood, observations of the world, or from their own current day's work as the office or shop.

But your children will only perceive the wisdom that you share if you spend time with them, love on them, care for them, talk with them, and help guide them along their path to adulthood. This is a process, and simply does not happen overnight. It takes weeks, months, and years to form the strong bonds that instill confidence in this father-child relationship, but the importance is critical to the upbringing journey. This relationship can set the foundation that allows them to thrive now and into the future.

Conclusion

Ultimately, time with dads is essential for children in forming a positive view and fondness of themselves and the healthy function of family. Fathers who dedicate time for educating, supporting and encouraging their kids help create a strong emotional connection that can last throughout adulthood. As time spent together should be cherished, it's important for fathers to use this time wisely and consider how every moment makes an impact – both now and in the future.