Dad To Two

With stereotypes placing the mother firmly in the home with the kids while dad goes out to work, you may be forgiven for believing it is mom who has the most influence on the children. However, recent studies by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have revealed it is actually the father who is the bigger influence in the children’s lives. According to the study, children who eat with their fathers are more likely to be happy, healthy and successful at school. With more women entering employment to help support the family, dads now have more opportunity than ever to enjoy the benefits of eating with their kids.

It is thought that the conversations held at meal times provide an opportunity for the father to bond with his children. This, in turn, helps the child to feel secure and, more importantly, loved. A child with a good support network at home, is less likely to be bullied at school. The child is also less likely to turn a gang to feel this sense of belonging.

A father is often seen as the authoritative figure in a family, with mom dishing out the cuddles and dad dishing out the punishments. This may be why a child is more likely to mimic their father’s table manners, then they are the mother’s. A father who eats meals with his kids has the opportunity to teach them proper etiquette and manners. Family mealtimes are also when a child learns important social skills, including how to interact with others and how to listen when someone else is talking. Children who eat their meals alone are more likely to be socially naïve and lacking in basic manners.

Perhaps the most concerning result of the USDA study is the revelation that kids who did not have a father present at mealtimes are more likely to be obese. Why this is the case is not clear, but it is believed to be linked to the fact a child is more likely to do as their father tells them as oppose to the mother. Despite these findings, the study also concluded that dads were much more likely to take their children to a fast food restaurant. This is attributed to the father feeling guilty for working so much and therefore absent from the home.

Despite no real reasons for these associations, it is obvious that more fathers need to be aware of the massive influence they have on their children. While work commitments cannot be avoided, making the time to eat together will have worthwhile benefits for the whole family.

All of us, including our children, will experience negative feelings about themselves on certain occasions. Negativity in children can happen while they are playing sports, attending school or it could just be a problem is battling their own feelings while they are at home. The problem that needs to be addressed is how to handle the situation when their schoolwork starts to get affected and the relationship with their friends or their family starts to diminish. Overcoming a destructive attitude with your child can be accomplished; however, it does take some work, so that your child can eventually bloom at their full potential. Of course, this is what all of us as parents really hope for.

One of the most important things you could do to help with negativity in children is to listen to what your child has to say. I know when I was growing up, my parents were always at work and in a lot of cases, it didn’t seem like what I had to say mattered. I was told myself, when I had a child of my own, things would be different and that I would always be there for them and that they could voice their grievances. Sometimes when your child is bothered by certain things, they won’t always tell you what it is right away. If a child doesn’t think that his parents are concerned about their problems, a lot of built-up tension and negativity could end up resulting.

I can honestly say that one of the big factors in dealing with negativity in children is to become a professional listener, especially when you think something is bothering your child. You have to let your child know that they can approach you about anything, whether it’s a sexual issue, a criminal issue or an accident that you witnessed that you might be afraid to talk about. You also have to be aware of how you respond to your child when you’re conversing with them. It’s imperative that they know that you are very concerned, because most children believe that they are the center of the universe and when it comes to a parent helping their child they are.

Dealing with negativity in children isn’t always the easiest task for a parent. However, if you remember that you are the most primary source that your child can turn to for them to get behavioral help, then as a parent, it will make the job of dealing with your child’s negativity much easier. As a parent, please consider the type of example you’re setting for them. Your child will look up to you as a leader, and you need to handle things like stress well or your children might think it’s okay for them to get stressed out and think it’s natural. This principle applies to other bad habits as well. If you as their parent smoke, there’s a good chance your child might smoke someday. The old cliché “actions speak louder than words” has been around for almost a century and parents need to be cognizant of this.

Another strong method of dealing with negativity in children is by giving them a pat on the back occasionally to recognize all the positive efforts they’re making. For example, if you get home one day and find out that your child has washed the dishes and took out the trash, ask to sit them down in the living room and take a few minutes praising his efforts in front of them. This will make them feel more important, and in my opinion when you make a child feel important and positively stroke their ego only good can result out of this. Also, please don’t focus on the negative or focus on what your child didn’t do. For example, if your child just got back from a math test and just performed marginally, praise your child for the answers he did get right and don’t get on them for the problems they missed.

In order to be an effective parent and deal with the negativity in children you need to probe into the root of their problems and learn about what’s upsetting them in the first place. Some children praise their parents so much, and believe in them so much, that they are scared to death to make a mistake, and think that their parents might disown them or think much less of them if they came forward and just admitted their mistake. The biggest hurdle you as a parent will face in combating your child’s negativity will be to convince them that you are always there and approachable for anything they need.

One final thing you need to understand when it comes to dealing with negativity in children is the fact that habits (bad or good) by all of us are formed in about 21 days. So if your child starts developing bad habits because they are afraid to approach you, these bad habits will become ingrained in their psyche over time and will become harder and harder for them to break. This is one of the reasons why people that neglect their children are setting their children up for a rough life. It’s your responsibility as a parent, not only to help them with their negative thoughts, but also to reveal to them all of the mistakes you made throughout your life so they don’t make them later.

Any father that wishes to be a provider for his family will want to do whatever is necessary to take care of his loved ones. Unfortunately, the proverbial conditions on the ground economy wise make this a little difficult these days. Why is that? It would seem a weak economy has set in motion problems which can seriously undermine the ability to earn extra money. Or has it? The truth here is that while certain monetary opportunities have become limited there are other ways a dad can make extra income. Better yet, even a busy dad can make extra money quite easily.

For example, did you know you can make extra money merely posting on message boards online? The pay is not great but you could end up making $30 extra dollars a week (or more if motivated) by signing on with a pay to post service that can provide round the clock opportunities for earning supplemental cash. $30 a week may not sound like a lot on the surface but that comes out to $1,560 per year. That can cover a lot of bills.

For those that wish to be a little active can also look for dog walking jobs. Yes, there are such jobs and they are offered by local pet sitting services. If you make $15 a day walking a dog five days a week, you can end up with $75 extra in your coffers per week. Add that to the $30 you can make from posting on message boards and you are up to $105 a week. You are well on your way to a significant increase in supplemental income if you follow down this path.

Before anyone says they don’t like message boards or dogs, it is important to realize these are just illustrative examples of how extra money can be made relatively easily. Among other ventures you can explore are:

While you may not like walking or sitting pets, you can always work as a house sitter when the homeowner would prefer that the property will not be left completely unoccupied. You can look at the job this way: you can sit in your home and watch television wondering how to make extra cash or you could always sit in someone else’s home earning money for doing so. And yes, you can also watch television in this adopted home if you do desire.

Lawn care and painting is perfect for those that love to care for their own lawn. Wait a second, don’t you mean “house painting” as opposed to “lawn painting”? No, you read it correctly the first time. Many people want their brownish grass colored green and an easy coating of organic paint on the lawn can really enhance its look easily. Consider this another atypical job which can be a fun way to earn money on the side.

Speaking of people’s property, there are those that would love to have their home decorated for the holidays. The quandary they are in would be they do not know how to properly decorate their residence. This can create a door of opportunity for you if you have a knack for decorations there may very well be a host of opportunities available to you.

Do you have a skill with instructing people? Whether you wish to tutor young ones in math or English or you can teach martial arts to adults, you might have more than a few doors open to you. Teaching people can also be quite fun and rewarding which is why this money making opportunity is about a lot more than, well, making money.

Being a dad comes with a lot of responsibilities and many of these responsibilities are financial in nature. Rather than feel the weight of financial strain, here is a better idea: consider these various strategies for making extra money on the side. You might end up with a lucrative income stream as a result.

A good husband will do what he needs to do to properly care for his family. However, there may be quite a number of obstacles placed in front of the husband when he tries to do the things he needs to. However, when a man with a strong indomitable spirit faces hurdles, he will not allow the hurdles to truly get in his way. This is visible in the tale of a husband and dad that provided health insurance to his family by taking the bold step of joining the army.

Not very many men would make such a tremendous commitment but Bill Caudle of Watertown, Wisconsin took the great leap of both serving his country and helping his family acquire access to much needed healthcare.

Bill Caudle is a father of two children and he is married to a wonderful wife named Michelle. Sadly, Michelle received terrible news from her physician. She was diagnosed with the very serious condition of stage 3 ovarian cancer. Needless to say, the care required to address such an advanced stage of cancer is significant. Rather than take a defeatist attitude, Bill Caudle took the very proactive step to acquire healthcare. At the age of 39, he decided to join the army. Many will assume that 39 would be too old to volunteer to join the armed services. Age is irrelevant. What is relevant is having the right attitude, a goal in mind, and a serious commitment. Bill Caudle certainly has all these attributes.

Questions may arise regarding why Mr. Caudle does not have a health insurance policy in place. Bill Caudle did have insurance and it was provided to him by his employer. Unfortunately, after having worked for his employer for 20 years he lost his job. Not to be deterred, Bill Caudle put his boots on and hit the pavement looking for a job. Sadly, in a very difficult economy, it is not easy to land a job. Bill Caudle simply could not get a proper job offer that would provide the health coverage his wife is in dire need of.

The army provided the perfect opportunity for him to acquire a quality healthcare plan. Not very many people would be willing to make such a commitment. Serving in the army is not easy and requires a lot of responsibility during peacetime. Today, with two wars going on, there are even greater responsibilities placed on the shoulders of those opting to serve in the armed forces. Bill Caudle is willing and capable of assuming such responsibilities and he deserves a lot of praise for his fortitude.

He is also a man that is responsible. Rather than decry his situation, he took proactive steps to deal with it. There was one option to acquire health insurance and it was to join the army. So, he did exactly that.

Bill Caudle is a hero. He is a hero to not only his wife and his country. He is a definite hero in the eyes of his children. He has shown to both his son and daughter that a truly responsible person will do what needs to be done to provide for his family. Truthfully, Bill Caudle is a role model and hero to all of America and he deserves much praise.

Any man can be a father, but it takes special qualities to be a good dad. Being a good dad is a tough job, but when your child is grown and a well-adjusted individual you will be able to reap the benefits.

There are literally hundreds of qualities that a good dad possesses, but below are ten of the best qualities:

1. A good dad spends quality time with his children. In our busy world, it’s easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of life. But being a good dad means taking time to have fun with your kids. From simple to extravagant, any quality time is golden in your child’s eyes.
2. A good dad leads by example. Kids learn by watching their parents on a daily basis. A good dad means being your child’s greatest teacher and leading by good example, this way of teaching is much more effective than any words could ever be.
3. A good dad is supportive. Even if your child doesn’t follow in your footsteps as a football player, doctor or lawyer, it’s important to support your child in his or her interests.
4. A good dad raises his kids with integrity. Show your kids trustworthiness by keeping your word. You will instill good values in them as they grow just by leading by example.
5. A good dad is involved in his child’s daily life. Life can get stressful and work can be busy, but taking time for the little things is what counts in your child’s eyes. Taking time to do homework with your child, giving him/her a bath or helping with bedtime can make all of the difference in your child’s day.
6. A good dad is a good listener. Everyone rushes to pass judgment. By sitting and really listening to what your child has to say, you are showing that you care and want to help, no matter what the issue at hand may be.
7. A good dad is a good disciplinarian. It’s easy for dads to be the push-over, especially if you aren’t home most of the time. But kids need boundaries in order to succeed, so by being tough yet fair, you are doing your child a world of good.
8. A good dad has a good work ethic. Your child observes you in your daily life, so by having a good work ethic, you are instilling that value in your child. Teaching your child that hard work pays off is a value that will be carried throughout their entire life.
9. A good dad allows his kids to make mistakes. Nobody is perfect, and a good dad recognizes that. All children make mistakes and by being able to come to you with their mistakes and talk about it will instill great value and learning lessons for your child.
10. A good dad loves his children unconditionally. This goes without saying. Loving your child no matter his or her imperfections, beliefs or mistakes is the greatest gift a dad could give his child.