There are a lot of influences in life and it’s our job to keep them safe.
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According to a May 2014 survey, 15 million American children — one in three — live without a father. This is a sad reality in the United States and increasingly around the world too. From poor academic achievement and teenage pregnancy to drug use and crime, many of the social problems we face are heightened as a result of the fatherless home.
However, what about the dads that are there?
So much happens within the early years of a child’s life that has a monumental impact on who that child becomes. There is a lot of stuff we should jealously guard those little angels from—while they still have that innocent smile on.
Here are 7 ways Dads can safeguard their children:
1. Great Dads Protect Them from Poor Health and Malnourishment
I know you are not a doctor, I know you are real busy and can’t always cater to those little needs of the kids. I know you have a living to make! Don’t worry! There just might be something you can contribute.
Too many men just automatically expect their wives to know what to do to make the kids take their meds and eat their veggies and all that health boosting stuff. But then she probably also has a job or laundry or groceries to pick up or the other myriad of things. The end result is that the dogs eats all the veggies and maybe, even the pills.
Then you have to spend on both doctor’s bills and the vets bills—double loss!
Children learn by example. Sitting down to eat with the kids and actually eating your own veggies, might work more wonders than a thousand instructions. Take your pills in front of them too. In the eyes of your young child, you are the image of perfection.
Set a good example.
2. Great Dads Protect Their Children From TV, TV Ads and the Internet
All Kent Clark had to do was rip open his shirt and he instantly became superman. Now you are stuck buying new shirts every day for your four-year-old boy. This can be a pain, right?
What about the time your five-year-old daughter had a nosebleed because she and your seven-year-old son wanted to find out who was stronger between Superman and Wonder Woman. I guess you can see who won.
Just being kids? Think again.
Kids are just being adults! They will somehow carry some of those traits into adulthood so it is high time you sifted what traits make it and which do not. TV ads and the internet can be very important, but can also adversely affect your kids in various ways. So, let them use it with discretion and under strict supervision.
3. Great Dads Protect Their Kids in Public
Kids can understandably misbehave from time to time, make mistakes, or be plain mischievous. But hey, they are kids. Your kids should not be made to feel inferior by belittling them in public, or even in front of their peers.
I played a lot of pranks as a kid. Many times they caught up with me and landed me in trouble. I knew my dad will never support me, but I equally knew he would stand to my defense when we were still out there and protect me from taking too much punishment than was necessary. That never stopped him from meting out his punishment when we got home. But he always made sure I knew that he had my back.
4. Great Dad’s Protect their Kids From the Teachers
I know you do OK on the home front, but you just can’t go meddling in external affairs and besides you don’t have the time. Well to be a great dad, you have to find time somehow and understand that with your kids there are no “external affairs,” as they bring the trouble home with them.
If your kid always comes home downcast, you need to check it out—really. If they constantly complain about a teacher, you need to check it out too.
Kids may develop poorly academically because of such “external affairs”
5. Great Dads Protect Their Kids from All Complexes
Inferiority complex, superiority complex, whatever the complex may be, “daddy” should cure it. Your kids have to know that even if they seem to perform less than others in certain areas, that they are excellent in your eyes and different from others.
They must also know that being different, they are not any better than any other human being regardless of status, wealth or race.
6. Great Dads Protect Their Kids from Bullies
A lot of Dads teach their kids to defend themselves with a clean right hook and then wonder why they get sent to the principal’s office. OK, I get why a dad would want to make his kid stronger and not vulnerable to bullies.
My suggestion is that you keep your ears to the ground and if you notice signs of bullying, speak to the bully’s parents or to him personally. At least this way, you could stop your kid from actually trying out the punch or the bully will thoroughly deserve it—either way.
Children who were repeatedly bullied grow up as unmotivated and slinking through life. You can stop that.
7. Great Dads Monitor Their Own Behavior
Don’t tell your kids what kind of person they should become, show them! 75 percent of kids learn through what they see than what they hear. Talk with them; make them feel accepted before they feel like you are trying to change them.
For goodness sake be the better man and don’t let them ever see you hit their mom or even yell at her. Settle your differences away from earshot.
Children are precious; they are also the most impressionable creatures on the earth. What you let them face today helps form tomorrow’s society. Daddy’s sculpt societal values from their homes, so don’t be too busy to be a Picasso!
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Photo: GettyImages
Great starting point. Check out Filtrie (www.filtrie.com) for item #2…..it protects your values by empowering you to set limits on TV ads.