Becky and I have 18 years with each of these kids before they leave for college. 18 years. That isn’t very long. We have a few jobs while they are here with us and today I am partnering with Chiquita as part of the Mom it Forward Network to share them with you.
Our jobs, as their parents are to:
1- Raise them to be responsible.
2- Raise them to be kind.
3- Raise them to be the best that they can be.
4- Raise them to be HAPPY.
As a Dad, it can be hard to find that balance – the balance between being strict Dad & fun Dad, but we have the responsibility to teach our kids, to protect our kids and to love our kids. To have a bond with our kids, I know that I have to find that balance.
In all of these things, it is my job to assist them… to lead them. Being a fun Dad is one way that I can do that. Yes, I can be strict Dad when I need to be. Yes, I can be responsible Dad when I have to. Yes, I can even be mean Dad when the situation calls for it. Then there are those times when I get to be FUN Dad. Those are my favorite times.
Becky’s friend has a great article about being a fun mom, so today I want to share 10 ways to be a fun Dad.
1. Make them laugh by stepping outside of your comfort zone. Do I normally walk around with a Chiquita banana hat? No. Do you know what happens when I do? Our kids act silly, too! The kids even wanted to do silly things so they could be entered this picture into the Chiquita Banana Smile Contest!
2. Listen to your kids.
Take the time to listen. Stop what you are doing and truly listen to what they are saying. You are not just listening, but you are instilling in them a confidence that comes from feeling important.
3. Play outside with them.
Tag, tickle monster, football… whatever it is, play with them. Becky took this picture a week or so ago…
4. Teach them.
Do you know the old saying “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” How true it is… talk to your kids about what you are doing. If you are building something, let them watch you or help you. Teach them.
5. Take them places.
Our kids love to go to new places. Last year, we took them to Disney. It was such a great trip and the kids were in awe at how big it was and how much there was to do. (Fun fact: Did you know that the Walt Disney World® Resort is so big that it takes nearly 70,000 cast members to keep it running, 13 million bottles of water a year to keep it hydrated, and 285,000 pounds of laundry every day to keep it clean. Wow! Read more Disney Fun Facts.)
6. Learn together.
Pick up a book about something that you are both interested in and learn about it. Ethan loves to learn about animals, so before we went on the Kilimanjaro Safaris® Expedition last year, we learned about the animals. (Fun fact: While the biggest animal in height might be the giraffe, the biggest all-round creature you’ll see, by far, is the elephant. African elephants are the largest land animals on the Earth, in fact! They can weigh between 5,000 and 14,000 pounds.)
7. Play games.
The kids & I like to play funny games like “What’s in the bag?” Or “Can you get it?” (Ps- let them win sometimes!)
Your turn! How can you be a fun dad or mom? Take a picture & share it! Better yet- Share your Chiquita smile and you could win a Walt Disney World® vacation from Chiquita!
- Contest Period: begins at 10:00 a.m. ET on April 29, 2016 and ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on June 26, 2016
- Entry Period: begins 10:00 a.m. ET on April 29, 2016 and ends 11:59 p.m. ET on June 19, 2016
- Voting Period: begins 10:00 a.m. ET on April 29, 2016 and ends 11:59 p.m. ET on June 26, 2016.To celebrate you entering for the Walt Disney World® vacation from Chiquita, I am giving away a $50 prize, too! To enter, just let me know which photo you entered into the Chiquita Smile contest. Leave a comment below.
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