the matthew Z project

You have to love traveling with kids.  They are such little explorers.

eating her Braunschweiger and crackers

drives tucker her out

Let me begin this post by saying the following applies to ALL men who have or are expecting children.  Although this is more geared towards men with daughters, you can imply it can be used for sons as well.  First off, whether you planned on becoming a parent or not, once reality sets in, being a daddy can be overwhelming, but with a few pointers it doesn’t all have to be stressful.

Following is a list of pointers I wish someone would have given me, but learning them on my own wasn’t all that bad.  And I know all children are different, but this should serve the purpose well and give a relative guide to being a better daddy.  Some of this will focus on mommy too.  After all, she’s a part of this just like you.

1. LOVE - Unconditional is best. No matter what, give your love unconditionally to your child.  Remember this even when your baby is screaming and crying at 3:10 in the morning after only about 30 real minutes of sleep.  They can’t talk so this is their way of communicating.  LOVE will make it all better. This also applies to situations where a child learns to provoke a response from you to gain all your attention.  They are testing the boundaries. Don’t over react and remember, you love them!

 

2. COMPASSION - This one leans a little more to the daughter bearing dads.  When your daughter comes to you obviously emotionally distraught about her dolly losing a dress…take the 3 seconds needed to compassionately comfort her that it’s okay and you’ll find it.  Or when she starts to cry after being told ‘NO’ in a stern voice…remind her of what rule was being tested and show her you love her and snuggle with her to prove it.  Showing her sympathy for her feelings will only strengthen your bond with her. Rule of thumb here - show them you understand and then distract them. Try using stories.  “Have I ever told you about the time the ducks landed in the pond and flew away with it?”  Anything will do here. Read more…