Children look up to their parents as role models. This is true of even the most rebellious teenager. You may not always realise it, but you are shaping your children’s lives – the way they look at the world, and how they form their values – simply by being their dad. It is a big responsibility to live up to!
If you are going to look after your children as well as you’d like to, you first have to look after yourself. A healthy dad is a fun dad – you will have more energy to play. We’re not saying you have to become a body builder or superhuman. But if you take good care of yourself, both physically and emotionally, then you will be better equipped to fulfil the demands of your role and will also be teaching your children to respect themselves and their bodies.
Looking after yourself means:
- considering your diet – a treat every now and then is fine, of course, but it should be ‘a treat’!
- exercising – if you are a couch potato, your kids will think it’s okay to be couch new potatoes!
- drinking in moderation – if you drink at all; NEVER be drunk when you are looking after your kids
- looking after your mental health – developing your own self-esteem, and looking out for signs of stress
- developing a balance between work and family life – giving yourself the time to enjoy getting to know your kids better.
Need help getting started? Check out: Change4Life
