How Dads Can Connect with Their Kids

Fathers are spending more time with their children than ever, according to a recent survey. In fact, dads today spend triple the amount of time with their kids than dads did in 1965. But even with all this progress, moms around the world still spend more time with their children. In many cases, this is due to the father's work obligations. In the majority of U.S. households, men are still considered the primary breadwinner, which means mom is the one taking care of the kids and household chores. This means that the time dads DO spend with their kids needs to count.

Here Are 5 Ways Dads Can Connect with Their Children

There are many activities fathers and children can do together, but to create a strong and lasting connection with your child, there are certain things that stand out more than others.

Play With ThemKids love games, especially before they hit the teen years. When fathers play with their children, they give them attention, show that the things that interest the child are important to them and they spend quality time together. It's not always easy, of course, when you're not really interested in the game your child wants to play. Or when you have a hundred other things on your mind, like work, bills, and when you can get to sleep. However, the investment can be worthwhile. Think of it that each game you play adds another level of connection to your precious relationship.

Show Their Mother RespectWhat does a mother have to do with a father-child relationship, you ask? When a father respects his child's mother, it creates a positive environment for the child. This is true whether the couple is together or divorced. When parents badmouth each other, it can lead to low self-esteem, loneliness, and psychological distress of the child. All of these things will make actually connecting with your children very, very hard. Not to mention all the issues it will cause them later on in life.

Don't Be Afraid of a Little RoughhousingWhereas mothers tend to be on the more protective side of the spectrum, dads know how to push the boundaries a little. This includes roughhousing with kids, which can be defined as "boisterous play". While roughhousing can easily turn into fighting, if dad is involved, he can keep things under control. The benefits of roughhousing are many. They range from teaching kids to set boundaries, building self-confidence, even helping kids stand up to bullying.

Ask QuestionsWhen kids are young, it's easy to spend time with them, ask how their day was, etc. Younger children are generally eager to communicate and have an easy time opening up. But as children get older, opening up can get more difficult. They suddenly have their own lives outside of the house, they're interested in all sorts of things that you never heard of or couldn't care less about. In these situations, asking questions is a great way to get kids to open up.

"How was your day?" is not the ideal question, since answers tend to be short and vague. Asking pointed questions about specific things tend to elicit more of a response (though obviously, not in an interrogatory manner). The more you get to know your child through talking, the deeper your connection can be. Here are some examples of questions that can lead to conversation.

Spend Time Together One-on-OneWhen kids have siblings, it can be hard to get the one-on-one attention they crave from their dads. Especially since fathers today are more involved in household chores and childcare, getting time alone with dad can be a challenge. That's why it's important for fathers to designate time even just a few minutes a day when it's just you and your child. It can be time that you play together, time when you talk or going for a walk around the block. Whatever you do, it should be just the two of you. Your child will look back on those memories fondly.

Life Insurance as Protection For Your ChildYou will spend your entire life as a parent building and maintaining connections to your children. As a father, you'll want to give your child the world, including attention, material possessions, and love. And as a father, you'll want your children to be taken care of in case the worst should happen and you are no longer able to care for them.

While you won't be able to mitigate the emotional toll that losing a parent takes on a person, you can ensure that your children are covered financially in the event that you die. Life insurance is the best way to do that.

Sproutt insurance advisors are available to help you determine what kind of life insurance is best for you. Simply answer a few questions and we will find the best-value plan for your lifestyle, needs, and budget.