Being a single dad is never an easy task. You are bound to perform duties that are supposed to be performed by two different individuals. Yet, life happens, and the best thing you can do is to be prepared for it. Hence, if you want to learn how to be the best dad to your children, then in this article, Jonah Engler guides you on the single dad issues you might face; why you should be prepared for them.
Every single dad, at least once in their life feels like they are not cut out to be father. They feel it is too much for them and won’t be able to handle the stress, work, and effort required to make parenthood for a single parent feel whole.
However, Jonah Engler explains that in reality, parenting 95% of it is just being present. Mothers do this effortlessly; that is why they are better than us. Plus, they know how to pretend better, and we don’t.
So as long as you are showing up every day to be in your children’s lives, you are doing fine. No need to be hard on yourself, and if you need advice on how you can get better as a father, the following three single dad issues are what you should cover to be the best dad you can be to your children.
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Discipline – Raise Your Children Like A Father, Not A Drill Sergeant
One of the prime single dad issues is striking the balance of disciplining your children. Single dads either go completely navy seal training on their kids, or let them be as independent as they want to be. Both of these approaches are wrong, and you are choosing them because you are insecure that you don’t know what you are doing.
The reality is you can calm down because no one does. However, you can learn to strike the perfect balance by allowing your children to be who they are and letting them know that your household has some ground rules that may never be broken.
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Communication – Be The Parent They Can Share Everything With
The second and another significant single dad issue is communication with your children. Dads, due to the oppressive patriarchy, were raised in an environment where mothers took charge over their children’s emotional development. So when dads have to deal with them, they have no clue what to do.
However, fret not because according to Jonah Engler this is not rocket science. All you need to do is talk to your children and let them know that you are always available for them. You should tell them if they ever want to talk, regardless of the topic, you are their closest confidant. If you can establish this trust, then your job is done.
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Adequate Mentorship – Be Their Supporter But Let Them Learn
Jonah Engler believes proper mentorship is the last of the single dad issues you must prepare yourself for. In this, you should teach and guide them as much as you want. Still, when they make mistakes, instead of being frustrated you should let them learn. This way, they will learn crucial life lessons on their own that will build character and ethics.
Final Thoughts
Single parenthood can be a daunting task; hence in this article, Jonah Engler has highlighted the single dad issues you must be aware of. You should fix those issues and learn from them so you can raise your children as a contributing members of society. Lastly, we would like to know out of all single dad issues? Which, according to you, is the most difficult to manage? Let us know in the comments section.
