Being a good father is one of the most important things to me. I want my kids to have a firm foundation and to know that they are loved and that I am very proud of them. Most days I feel like I fail at this…but I want 2014 to be a better year in how I relate to and raise my 3 children. So, here are my 4 goals:
- Date nights with each of my children and wife – I used to do this, but got away from it due to the busyness of life. With the 4 of them, that gives me someone to do something special with once per week during most months. I usually pick Mondays because that’s the day that works best for my work schedule.
We usually all have dinner together as a family, and then I’ll take the kids who’s date night it is out for ice cream and then to a fun place like Chuck-E-Cheese or the inflatable bounce house place. Also, having regular date nights with my wife is good for my children to see as well. It’s important that I model for them a healthy marriage and that I show my sons how to honor a wife.
- Take a family vacation – I usually do this, but I didn’t want it to be forgotten or lost in the shuffle. I want to be very intentional about it this year. I get 2 vacations each year and I try to make one of them just me and my wife and the other one all 5 of us. I want to plan for this vacation to make sure that it’s full of the things we like the most and that it provides the most opportunities for connection and memories while leaving just enough time for spontaneous fun. I want to be sure to be able to unplug as much as possible and give my kids as much attention as they can handle.
- Take more pictures with my kids – I am horrible at this. When I graduated from high school, my parents gave me a photo album (yes youngsters, we actually used to print out our photographs) and it was and is one of the most meaningful gifts I’ve ever received. I want to be able to give my kids an even clearer picture of their history. I want to be able to pull up photos when they’re older and tell the stories that go along with it. I believe that children of any age crave a legacy – and photos are a great way to create and build on that legacy.
- Invest in their education – My son is in kindergarten now and I do not get to help him with his homework very often. But, I want to do this more often in 2014. I want to read books with my 2 younger children and be more involved in what they’re learning. It is critical that, for the first 5 years of life, parents instill in their children certain things educationally – and I want to be sure to do that for all 3 of my children. This is supremely important for me.
Tomorrow, I’ll write about my personal goals for 2014. In the meantime…
What are your goals for 2014…especially as a parent or grandparent? Did any of my goals stand out to you in some way?