Children are much better at imitating something that they have seen than obeying a rule or spoken command. Not to mention that when you pontificate (lecture… preach… elaborate) on a regular basis, even with a righteous subject matter, your child(ren) will grow dangerously tired of it, and you will begin the descent toward exasperating them all the quicker.
Category: Psychology
“That Must Be How It Works”
Children are great imitators and they will do what you do, preferences or not. It’s true in food, in sports team loyalty, in political views, and in humor. Did you have to tell your children to cheer for the football team that you enjoy watching? Odds are that they developed the affinity for them simply because you get excited over them. Because “that’s how it works.”
Apples, Trees, and Falling
I hope all is well with you and your family. Over the last year I’ve learned much in my own life about prioritizing… and though it may be hard to hear, my family is more important than you. 😉 I have fallen into a routine, in posting on this blog, that prioritizes my wife and […]
An Example of the Truth
If you are the best you, that you can be, then you will be an example for your child(ren) to become what they need to be. You don’t have to go far to be an example to your children, it’s mostly in you already, like I said before!
They Are Always Watching!
You talk about it being creepy that Santa “sees you when your sleeping, he knows when you’re awake…” The reality is that children are always watching. Whether they’re yours, ones that you take care of, or simply ones that happen to be in your vicinity children are wired to mimic what they see adults doing. They are always watching!
Don’t Set the Bar Too High
After posting on temper, I feel I ought to speak on unrealistic expectations; setting the bar too high. Dad it is your job to know your children well enough to understand their abilities and set appropriate expectations for them. This will greatly benefit them, give you more opportunities to encourage them, and keep your temper […]
Honesty
Kids are smart, they can tell if you are simply going through the motions or if you want to be a part of their lives. Consistency is the key. There is no better way to stay consistent than honesty. When honesty is your compass, you will continue in the same direction at every turn of […]
You Are The Man!
Men (and ladies who also read this blog), Sorry it’s been a while, but if I’m not being this kind of Dad to my kids, then none of this means anything… thanks for your patience, and look for more resources in the days to come! Now, where were we…? Oh, yeah, YOU ARE THE MAN!! […]
What Kind of “Man” Are You?
If you’ve been following encouragingdad.com for a while you’ll understand that the title question doesn’t mean what is your occupation, or can you sculpt a coffee table with your bare hands… so when I ask the question what kind of man are you, the operative word is: KIND. What type? what sort? what characteristics […]
How to Teach Your Son to Be “The Man!”
When teaching your boys, they respond far better to instructions and guidelines, accompanied by consistent modeling, than they do to back-door reprimands because they are not measuring up to the expectation you have of what a man should be. I encourage you to proactively show them how to achieve what you expect, and then guide […]