John White shares his thoughts on the qualities that make a dad “great.”
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“And all of your words fall flat. I made something of myself and now you want to come back. But your love, it isn’t free, it has to be earned. Back then I didn’t have anything you needed so I was worthless.” -Kelly Clarkson
Did you see the amazing performance by Kelly Clarkson on American Idol last week? In case you missed it, she brought the house down with her song, Piece by Piece. The song is about her emotions she felt over the years as a result of her dad leaving her and her family when she was just six years old. After finding her husband, she watched him become the dad to their daughter that she’d always dreamed of having.
Just like Keith Urban and many others in the audience, I was moved to tears by Kelly’s song. Being a dad defines who I am. It is the single most important thing I have ever done in my life. When I hear about dads that abandon their children, it saddens me. I hate hearing stories about “deadbeat dads.” As a matter of fact, I can’t stand the term.
Clarkson ended her song with the words, “a father should be great.” I couldn’t agree more. It got me thinking about the qualities that make a dad great.
Here are a few that came to mind.
A great dad is extremely loyal and is always there for his children. He puts family first. Even if his relationship doesn’t work out, he never abandons his children no matter what.
“Any fool with a d*** can make a baby, but only a real man can raise his children.” -Furious Styles
A great father is respectful of women. He leads by example and shows his son how to treat a lady. He teaches his daughters that they deserve to be treated with respect by men and not to accept anything less. They learn this from the way he treats his wife.
He is the family comedian. He cracks jokes that put everyone at ease. His humor makes every family activity more fun.
A great dad is also a great teacher. He shares his wisdom with his children and teaches them the ways of the world. He is patient with his children and realizes that they won’t always like the things that he wants them to.
He works hard to provide for his family. He has a successful career, he realizes that his most important job is the work he does at home as a dad.
A great dad is stern and knows when to put his foot down. He doesn’t let his kids get away with bad behavior and disciplines them appropriately.
A great father is kind and compassionate. He listens to his children’s problems and gives support when they need it the most. He is a pillar of strength. He is supportive and always there when he is needed.
A great dad is a difference maker. He realizes that his work is never done. He knows that his job is often thankless and he is at peace with that. A great dad raises well-adjusted children.
Do you know any great dads? I’d love to hear about what makes them great.
Photo: Flickr/bp6313
“A great father is respectful of women. He leads by example and shows his son how to treat a lady. He teaches his daughters that they deserve to be treated with respect by men and not to accept anything less. They learn this from the way he treats his wife.” Good info, John. Actually great infor, but the above statement is a recipe for disaster. No, men are not required to respect women. That is feminist dogma employed as a shaming tactic so as to allow for no accountability for female bad behavior. it is so because it assumes that… Read more »
Part of your assertion that women should be treated as individuals requires the idea that despite the fact that you may have been exposed to bad ones, not all have the same tendencies or similar behaviors. There are outliers.