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Getting parenting done right can be difficult, challenging, and, most importantly, rewarding.
Remember that you, as “dad,” significantly influence how your son will see and interact with the world. The opportunity to set them on the right course is there if you’ll only choose to take advantage of it.
Teaching your son proper behavior, the right way to live their lives, and providing them with the tools to maneuver the countless obstacles that will be in their way are the best things we can pass down to our children.
But that said, not everything needs to be about “hard lessons.” Being a parent also allows you to explore the world again, only through your child’s eyes. It gives you the chance to laugh and play, if only for a little bit at a time.
And by playing with your kids, you’ll rediscover the joy that you had as a kid and build bonds that will last a lifetime.
The building blocks of good parenting are to be firm but fair, communicate expectations, reward positive behaviors and hold a line for those beyond the pale.
Teach what is, and isn’t good behavior, model them in the best way you can. Don’t worry if you get frustrated or slip up at times. Your kids need to see you not as infallible but as someone able to learn from their mistakes. Explain to your kids how this action was a mistake, how you plan on making it better, and show them through your actions.
Another thing that helps you develop strong relationships is to invest yourself into what interests your kids. If they want to play a sport, engage with them, teach them, and practice with them. Don’t lose sight of THEIR interests and not your hopes for them becoming the next Micheal Jordan or Peyton Manning. Let them be kids.
Teaching Your Son About The Joys Of Fantasy Football
As your son gets older, including him in activities that you enjoy is another rite of passage. By including them, you show them that they are maturing, and you recognize them and respect them.
For example, if you play fantasy football, teaching them how the game is played, the scoring, and roster management, from drafting to waiver wires, can be a great bonding experience. In addition, you can help them understand all the out-of-season NFL transactions that occur, and how that may impact your fantasy league is another bonding opportunity.
If you decide to include your son in fantasy football, there are a few things you need to do before it all begins.
- Create or Join a League: Obviously, to play in a fantasy football league, you need to be involved in a league. You can choose to play in one already formed or create your own. In addition, you can choose to play as co-owners or help him through the process of pre-draft, draft, and handling rosters throughout the season.
- Set a Draft Date: To have a fantasy league, you need to set a draft and a draft date. It’s best to wait until late August or Labor Day Weekend to hold the draft. Why is that, you wonder? Well, late August and the first week of September is when rosters are cut down, allowing you to see who is and isn’t playing this season and let you navigate the inevitable training camp injuries, retirements, and veteran cuts that happen every season.
- Choose The Right Draft Site: Once you set the league and draft date, you need to choose whether you’ll do a remote/virtual or in-person draft. Playing fantasy football for the first time can be exciting, so find a way to make the draft an event for you both. When choosing the right location for your fantasy football draft, consider all the intangibles, such as who plays in the league, how well you know the other owners, and whether they prefer an in-person or virtual draft. Either way, find exciting ways to make the draft an event that your son can look forward to and become excited about for the first time.
- Roster Management: The trickiest part of fantasy football is post-draft. How you manage injuries, bye-weeks, and underperforming players is all part of what makes fantasy football exciting and challenging. Help your son navigate the process of roster management so that they can enjoy the game in the future, whether they play in league with you or not.
The key to fantasy football is having fun, teaching lessons about strategy and patience, and learning how to handle adversity beyond your control are all critical takeaways from playing fantasy football with your son. So embrace it, challenge him, and enjoy your time together.
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