One of the most special times of being a father is when your child is an infant and they sleep on your chest or right next to you in bed during nap time. The best part is when they partially open their eyes just to make sure you're there, and then close them again knowing they're safe and secure and can go back to sleep.

It doesn't change when they get older. You don't nap with them anymore, but that doesn't mean they take their eyes off you for reinforcement. They need your steady hand, your wisdom, your encouragement, your love.

Watch this outstanding video and reflect on this amazing privilege.

Huddle up and ask your kids tonight: Do you think I'm a good role model for you? Why or why not?

Posted with permission from www.allprodad.com

What if you had one final lecture to give your children before you departed from this life? What would you say? Dr. Randy Pausch had this privilege.

and while you’re watching his story, reflect that any of your lectures could be your final lecture. Speak to encourage; not humiliate. Words well-spoken are like apples of gold in settings of silver.

Richard Nixon used to drive his aides crazy because he hated to face a press conference where he would field tough questions. They would encourage him to answer the tough questions because that would help him make tough decisions.

The same is true of being a father. Many dads dislike asking their kids tough questions because it might make them uncomfortable. But tough questions can produce right thinking in your children. And right thinking leads to right living. So don’t be afraid to ask your kids’ views on sex, drugs, religion, culture etc. You may be surprised at their answers.

Did you know that there is a certain type of bamboo in Japan that only flowers once every 120 years? It's certainly puzzling how this plant can keep track of time, but everything that happens in the 119 years before it germinates will determine how much the bamboo will bloom. And that's a long time to wait to see the results.

In the same way, children don't always blossom on your timetable. The love, discipline and instruction you pour into their lives cannot be immediately seen. Your job as a father is to prune and nourish your children in anticipation of their blooming. And once they do, you'll see them grow rapidly into patient, loving and consistent people. So be encouraged, the latest bloomers often produce the most striking and beautiful flowers.

Posted with permission from www.allprodad.com

In the 1930's, when The Times of London asked Britain's leading intellectuals what they thought was the biggest problem in the world, author G.K. Chesterton sent back a quick postcard response saying, "I am." He was on to something.

Too often we don't take personal responsibility to say that we are the biggest problems in our marriage, with the way our kids behave, and with how poorly our job is going. Instead, we look to point fingers. But real men take responsibility for their actions and, when things aren't going well, look in the mirror first. That kind of humility is what saves marriages, bonds kids to their fathers, and promotes career advancement.

If you are your own biggest problem, you can work to make the right kinds of change.

Posted with permission from www.allprodad.com

Dr. James Dobson, in his book Bringing Up Boys, relates the following story:

"I once had a conversation with a man named Bill Houghton, who was president of a large construction firm. Through the years, he had hired and managed thousands of employees. I asked him, 'When you are thinking of hiring an employee - especially a man - what do you look for?' His answer surprised me. He said, 'I look primarily at the relationship between the man and his father. If he felt loved by his dad and respected his authority, he's likely to be a good employee.' Then he added, 'I won't hire a young man who has been in rebellion against his dad. He will have difficulty with me, too.' I have also observed that the relationship between a boy and his father sets the tone for so much of what is to come. He is that important at home."

Your son means so much to you. And you mean a lot to him - and his future. Cherish him.

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy said, “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” To many people 40 years ago, hardship was a badge of honor because it was the foundation of great accomplishment and a refiner of character.

Today, unfortunately, many of our young people seek only to do the easiest and most convenient thing. They bear some responsibility for their mindset, but so do many of us as parents with our basement-level expectations. So dads, let’s encourage our kids to do hard (not impossible) things because they are capable and because we refuse to indulge them with low aspirations.

Posted with permission from www.allprodad.com