Are You the Kind of Man You Want Your child or Children to Look Up To?

Have you taken the time to sit down and look at your life and wonder if I am a good role model? I have a tendency to speed and my daughter came in and told me she beat the GPS. 

It made me think something important: Am I the kind of dad that I hope she'll grow up to be?

It's a hard question to think about, right? All dads want to raise kids who are good people, but are we showing them how to do that? Are we doing the things we tell them are important?

Thinking About Myself

Sometimes it's easy to forget what's really important. We have to go to work, pay the bills, and do all sorts of stuff. But the biggest job a man has is to help his kid become a great grown-up. So, I took a long look at myself and thought about some hard questions:

Being Honest: Do I always do what's right, even if it's hard? Am I honest, even if it might get me in trouble?

Being Nice: How do I treat my family and other people? Am I as nice as I want my son to be?

Taking Care of Things: Do I do what I'm supposed to do, even if I mess up sometimes? Can my children count on me?

Being Kind: Do I understand how other people feel? Am I nice to them, and do I help them?

Getting Better Every Day

Nobody's perfect and we all need to give ourselves some grace not only to fail but to grow. We all mess up sometimes, so privately, some publicly. But what's really important is that we see what we need to fix and then try to do better.

Here's what I'm doing to be the kind of man I hope my children will be like:

Show them not tell: It's more important to do good than just talk about it. Being a good example for your children has a greater effect than telling them what to do.

Talking It Out: I'm making it easy for my child to talk to me about anything. By talking with your child, you create a safe space for them to be themselves.

Educating yourself: Reading books, taking courses, and talking to people who can teach me how to be a better father.

Spending Time Together: Taking the time to do fun things with your child will help the communication aspect of the relationship.

Saying I'm Sorry: Knowing when to say sorry will go a long way for them to let them know they are seen and heard.

What We Leave Behind

Being a man is the best and most challenging thing I've ever done. I'm still learning and growing every day and love it. I am not perfect, but I'm trying my best with what God gave me. Because what men leave behind isn't about money or things, it's about the kind of people their children grow up to be.

So, I ask the question again: Are you the kind of man you want your child or children to be like? If not, it's never too late to start being better.

Tell me what you think! Have you ever asked yourself this question? What are you doing to be the best dad you can be?