It feels great to be a dad. With fatherhood, begins the next chapter of a man’s life. Fatherhood comes with great joys and equally matching responsibilities. Holding your child in your arms for the first time, changing her / his nappies past midnight, singing a song so she/he will fall asleep – all of this will give you memories to cherish forever. But what does it take for a man to be a great father? Is it spending sleepless nights next to his children? Or calling to check whether they have eaten or not?

The road to becoming a great father does not have only one milestone. Great fathers are not the ones who do everything perfect. But they are the ones who realise their imperfection and try to overcome them. If you wish to become a great father to your children, here are five things which you can start doing right away.

  1. Give them more time: Time is valuable. It is perhaps the most valuable thing, other than love and affection, that you can give your children. The more time you give them, the stronger your bond gets. Sometimes, children just expect their fathers to spend some quality time with them and nothing else. Spending just 30 minutes of quality time with your children can do wonders for their cognitive and physical development. Spending time with children is equally beneficial for fathers too. It helps them unwind after a hard day’s work and rejuvenates their mind.
  2. Find new ways to show love: Fathers are usually supposed to discipline the children right and be a role model for good deeds and behaviour. So being tough is an intrinsic part of their natural personality. But there are ways through which fathers can easily express their love for their children. Like reading them a bedtime story, feeding them with their own hands, helping them with their homework, tuck them in their bed or dropping them off at school. All these gestures, no matter how small they look, will give your children an extra dose of affection and give them reasons to look forward to your companionship.
  3. Be their teacher: Children learn a great deal in school. But when they are home, they look up to their fathers to learn things that they can’t learn in school. From fathers, children learn those vital things that enable them to understand life better. A great father will always try to set positive examples that his children can follow and learn from. Just like a teacher, he will tell them the difference between right and wrong, teach them the value of honesty, empower them to make the right choice and encourage them to put their best foot forward. He will make sure to do anything that inspires them to make the most of their potential and be on the right track.
  4. Bring the family together: A great father knows how to bring the whole family together. He understands the value of ‘family time’ and always looks for ways to turn everyday events into memorable occasions. To make the most of weekends and holidays, he will have his calendar ready months in advance. He will plan picnics, field trips, movie nights and amusement park rides. He will lose no opportunity to surprise his children with something special to show how much he loves and cares for them.
  5. Respect their mother: A good father isn’t the one who only focuses on the children. He is someone who takes special care of his wife, the mother of his children, and treats her like a queen. Because the way he treats her will set an example for their children on how to love, care and respect a woman. When both parents shower each other with love and respect, their children feel safer and think positively. Great father understands the importance of mutual respect in a relationship and fulfils this responsibility very well.

So are you a good father or a great father? It does not take much to become a more caring and lovable person than you already are. A little effort and right actions can easily take you there. Understand how important it is for your children to see you as a great father who is a little more supportive, engaging and caring and then just follow your heart. The journey will be more beautiful and gratifying than ever.