Dear Cautiously,
I am glad you brought that up. In the past few weeks, I have overheard conversations about New Year’s resolutions and have been thinking, “what are my goals as a father?” Resolutions are a very personal commitment, so I encourage you to spend some time considering your own. Below are a few of mine and I hope that they inspire you in your own personal journey of leadership and development as a father.
I will commit to spending quality time with my spouse. When I make the effort to show attention and spend quality time with my lovely wife, my children see this and begin to respect this time. As a father, I hope to have my children notice the importance of this time and emulate it when they are adults. One of the best gifts I can give my children is to equip them for success in their marital relationships as adults.
I will spend time with my children doing something they enjoy. I know I have mentioned this repeatedly to you, but that just reflects its value. It is a good idea to be specific in this goal. My plan is to shoot for a specific number of outings with each child as well as times we can hang out as a family. Such special time together will show them they are a priority in my life.
I will show my children a spirit of service. In 2010, I will make it a priority to show my children what it means to be a blessing to someone else. I will resolve to give of both my time and my finances. It costs nothing but pays off big when you volunteer together serving a hot meal at a shelter, or donating unneeded toys and clothing to a local charity. A monetary donation out of their personal earnings gives children ownership in the cause. Let them help in choosing what charitable organization they would like to support. Their buy-in will create all the more impact and interest.
I will commit to praying for my family. A great friend of mine has some healthy rituals that he practices for his family. In my eyes, he is a wonderful family leader and I respect him greatly as a husband, a father and a friend. He is intentional on scheduling a day or weekend at the end of each year to spend some time in private reflection and prayer for his family. He specifically seeks guidance for the year to come. As a husband and father, I see adding this tradition to my resolutions as my role, my responsibility and my duty. Take some time for yourself in a quiet area, anywhere you can find, and consider those that matter to you most.
I will be specific in setting my goals for the year. You may feel the need to spend more time with your spouse. If that is the case, set an attainable goal of taking her on a certain number of dates in 2010. If you think you should invest more time in your children’s interests, then be intentional in making it to those soccer games and dance recitals.
Above all else, know that you are the leader of your home and so many lives will depend on you for guidance and solid direction in this coming year.
Happy New Year Dads,
Dave
“The prayer of a righteous man avails much” James 5:16.
Follow Dave on twitter @dear_dave.
