Being a Dad; Being a Hero

As a father to a child, you have a responsibility to do the very best job you can to raise that child into a well rounded and responsible adult. From the day they’re born, through the rest of your life, your job will include being a father to the child. Do your very best to be the best Dad that you can.

Being a father doesn’t automatically make you a hero to your child. It’s possible and likely that your child will grow up looking up to superheroes or other fictional characters as their heroes, especially when they’re still young. They may look up to firefighters or police officers or other very visible public figures. It’s natural for your child to see something very visible as a hero when they are younger.

As a father, you should live everyday as if your child is looking at you as their hero. Just because they may not recognize or say it, you likely have the strongest influence on your child (along with their mother) as they grow up. They see you every single day, and hear the words you speak, and the way you act. Act as if your child wants to grow up to be just like you someday. 

Kids inherit many of the qualities of their parents when they grow older because it is something that they’ve seen throughout their childhood. Subconsciously, your child is taking in everything that you do and building a foundation upon it. If you yell at your child, they will take that as the way to act. If you speak kind words to them, they will take that as being important. 

If you’re starting from your child being a baby, then work to be a role model and hero from the start of your child’s life. If you’ve gotten off on the wrong foot and are realizing that it’s time to change later in your child’s life, then don’t wait. Children can be extremely forgiving and understanding. Don’t use lost time as an excuse to not make a change to become a better father to your child. Begin changing now.

Invariably, you will stumble as you raise your child. You may yell, or you may do something that you’re ashamed of. Being a father and hero doesn’t mean you're perfect. Just the opposite in fact. When you make a mistake, show your child that it’s important to recognize that mistake by addressing that it was the wrong way to act, and that there is work to be done. No one is perfect - learning to become a better person and helping your child see that are critical actions that every person should be taking.

When your child is grown and older, your goal should be that your child is proud to have you as their father. While you may not be their “hero,” the real end goal is that you’ve done the very best that you can. It’s very likely that you’ll be their hero in some sense of the word if you’re living that way from a young age.

Be the very best version of you - love your child and be a great dad. Becoming a hero to a child takes years of hard work, and it’s up to you to make it happen.