To be a father is an honor. Good fathers are men who choose to live up to the title. They are men willing to care for and do right by a child. His actions and words come from a place of love. Space is carved out of a father’s heart and time out of his schedule even before the baby’s first breath. These men earn the title of Father and cherish the term Dad. A good father is ethical and hard-working. His self-pride doesn’t overshadow the pride he feels for his child’s accomplishments. Jealousy and force do not inhabit the mind or fists of a good dad.
The man who displays patience and fairness when disciplining his child will reap the benefit of his child’s respect. Being trustworthy himself will instill the same quality in his children. A child of unconditional love will see, hear, and feel the depth of their father’s emotion. From the time a small child sits on his or her father’s shoulders, well beyond becoming an adult, good father’s continue to hold their children high. They teach, guide, and council. Their skin is thick, but their hearts are soft. The willingness to make sacrifices, swallow pride, and be encouraging despite personal opinion are attributes of a good father. Good dads have the ability to step back and allow their child to make mistakes, without fixing the problem, or taking on the pain.
Being a good father isn’t as much hard work as it is a labor of love. There is no perfect pattern to mimic, no “How-To” manual to read. The logistics of becoming a father are simple, almost any man can be a father. To be a good father is more involved. It is to accept an honor and receive the gift of a lifetime.
