Becoming a better father by being proactive

Watch Video: Becoming a better father by being proactive by John Badalament, EdM, ...
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Becoming a better father by being proactive

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Even today in 2012, it is easy for dads to play a more passive role in parenting, and I think the earlier that dads can assert themselves, can take a proactive approach to parenting, the better. You can do it at any point, but I think very early on it's important for dads to feel confident as parents. And that requires stepping out of your comfort zone for most guys. So one way that I have dads think about this idea of being proactive is by having them create what I call dad's vision statement. And that is, like a company has a mission statement that communicates their values, communicates where they're going, what their mission is, a dad's vision statement is helping dads think about what kind of relationship am I trying to build? What is my vision for the relationship with my children. And the question I have them ask, or I ask them is I say, imagine your child 20 years from now, 25 years from now, is interviewed for a film about you, about your relationship. What do you hope they say to the interviewer about you and about your relationship?What do you hope they don't say to the interviewer and then what are you doing today to move towards that vision? What can you do proactively to reach that vision? For example, 25 years from now I want my kids to say, "Dad really knew who I was. He followed my interest." So that translates into action today where I pay very close attention to my child's interest in music for example. And I try to really pay attention to what is going on in their life. And so by having a vision of what your relationship should be, you can be more proactive.
ALL PARENTS, Parenting

Watch Video: Becoming a better father by being proactive by John Badalament, EdM, ...

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John Badalament, EdM

Author & Educator

John Badalament, EdM, is the author of the acclaimed Modern Dad’s Dilemma: How To Stay Connected with Your Kids in a Rapidly Changing World and Director of the PBS documentary All Men Are Sons: Exploring The Legacy of Fatherhood. His work has been featured on ABC NewsNPR, in Men’s HealthPregnancy, The Los AngelesTimes, and on HuffingtonPost.com. He serves on the Honorary Board of the Ties Never Broken Campaign, a partnership with The White House. John is a Harvard-trained educator who speaks internationally to schools, parent groups and organizations. 

 

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