Knows that “Spit don’t make babies”
Knows that making a baby is never the same as being a parent; one is an unprotected event – the other is an investment in protecting and nurturing
Talks to God before the child is born, and every day afterward
Knows that reality TV shows are not where you determine or dispute being the father
Knows they must teach and use valuable words with their children: please, thank you, share, excuse me, I apologize, I love you
Knows that how you speak to and about others plays a significant role in how your children do the same
Knows that how you speak to and about others may determine how your children expect and allow others to speak to them
Teaches his children that policemen and policewomen, firemen and firewomen and military personnel are also moms and dads
Understands that the school system and teachers are not responsible for raising the child – they are responsible for providing educational and civic tools that will be reviewed and sharpened at home
Knows that bling will never be greater than or equal to brains
Knows that saggy trousers/shorts, tight tops, tight pants and short skirts expose more than underwear
Explains and lives the terms character and integrity
Follows his parental intuition at the moment instead of lamenting how ‘he knew it’ later
Knows that the moneymaker is above the neck and not below it, and makes sure that his children understand that as well
Knows that a child needs more than guest appearances from a father who does not live in the home
Goes to great lengths to make sure that the child understands that whatever happened between dad and mom is not the child’s fault if mom and dad are not together
Recognizes that blending a family requires extra doses of patience, love and caring, and doesn’t push his way into the father role but lives the role instead
Asks for help when needed, and steps up to help when needed
Gives mommy a break and cleans up whatever mess gets made before she gets back
Finds the monster under the bed, sends the boogeyman away, knows the Itsy Bitsy Spider, Barney, Yo Gabba Gabba and Elmo
Finds the answer to “Why is?”
Cooks breakfast, lunch and dinner not just when he has to
Learns to comb his daughter’s hair
Tosses the softball and attends the tea parties
Knows that his lap is a good place for learning to read: ABCs, Dr. Seuss, the Bible
Finds the adventure with his children in going to the local park or a theme park
Explains the difference between actions and consequences, before AND after – that dog will not walk itself or ‘hold it’ until the favorite show is over
Remembers the classmate without a dad and makes room for one more
Is familiar with technology because that’s good looking out for the child, who doesn’t understand that everyone on the internet is not a friend
Knows the teachers, attends parent conferences and serves as class parent when he can
Will delete the word ‘quit’ from the dictionary and vocabulary
Coaches without favoritism, or cheers from the sidelines without being an embarrassment
Gives his sons and daughters the one-on-one time they need with him
Knows his child’s friends and their parents
Knows that admiration for an athlete or a celebrity should not be confused with choosing a role model, and explains why to his children
Can’t find the handkerchief fast enough when the child tells everyone why they love their dad, and is okay with watery eyes and trembling lips
Knows that if he missed any parts of his child’s life, a relationship can’t go backwards but can be built going forward
Fathers, just like mothers, are God’s special gifts, whether Daddy, Pop, Papa, Father, Dad, Grandpa, Uncle, Cousin, Stepfather, Mom holding down two roles, or other angels filling in to raise the village.
We praise God for you, and we love you.
The Window Seat by Karen Caffee is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at www.karencaffee.com.
