Every happy dad has his own way of parenting, and what works for one may not work for the other. Here are some general guidelines that can assist any dad in making the most of every day. These are the top five suggestions for succeeding at being a happy dad, staying positive, and preventing your day from going to sh@@…
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Happy Dads can conquer every day by following these steps
Plan out your day
Having a plan and being organized are vital if you want to succeed in anything. The same goes for fatherhood. You cannot just hope for the best. Instead, you should plan out your week, month, and year. You should also have a system in place to ensure that all of your daily tasks are completed and conquer the day.
You may even want to take some CPR classes online(for the kids’ safety), read books on cooking(to help at home), or take up a new hobby.
Make sure to schedule some “me” time(mine is in the morning, read on.) It’s critical to take care of your health both physically and mentally. Ensure you get adequate sleep, eat healthily, and exercise regularly. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you require it! It may not sound like the most exciting way to spend your time, but organization and planning will be worthwhile in the long run.
Keeping in mind your kids’ schedules and your wife’s as well as yours will make a smoother flow with your day and week ahead. Get a diary or calendar and simply write things down. Works like a charm all the time!
Adjust with the flow
No matter how thoroughly you strategize or use that diary, there will always be days when things don’t go as planned (or weeks). Be adaptable and roll with the punches. I’m writing this but I’m terrible at doing this. But as of today, I’ll be changing this weakness. T
hings will occur that are beyond your control, and you will have to react instantly. That’s just part of being a happy dad or a grumpy one.
When an unforeseen bounce strikes, remain calm and look for the silver lining. For example, if your child becomes sick and you have to miss work, you can spend time with them at home. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a few deep breaths and remember that everything passes. It’s all about perspective. Covid was a perfect example of this… It could also be a loss of employment or a natural disaster…It’ll pass.
Live in the moment and enjoy it
Aren’t you often worried about the ‘what ifs’ and the distant future and and and…I’m the same way…If you truly want to conquer the day you must adjust your mindset.
It’s simple to get swept up in the hurry and jumble of daily life and forget to just stop and enjoy the moment. However, it’s critical to remember that these moments are precious, and they will be gone before you know it. Whether it’s playing soccer with them, talking, or simply watching a TV show together, be there(mentally).
Spending quality time with your children each day is a great way to accomplish this. Whether you read a book with them, play a game, or simply chat about their day with them, make sure you are really attentive and present. These little moments will mean a lot to both you and your child (and to you as well).
So, occasionally step back and just absorb everything, and then simply enjoy THAT time. Not the future! The present! I love to take 3 deep breaths…it helps.
**Tip** Get a Qwirkle game on Amazon. It’s fun and gives you time to talk to the kids and wifey! We play weekly.
It’s important to be patient and take things slowly
It’s true that parenting is difficult. Living in South Korea and being an ex-pat father makes things even more tricky and needs patience. Nonetheless, it is crucial to remember that you are not the only person attempting to succeed at it.
Sometimes you may feel like you have taken two steps forward and three steps back, but every day is a fresh chance to succeed at whatever you have in mind. Baby steps as Dave Ramsey always say…
Be patient with yourself and your children. Don’t expect perfection; it’s nonexistent. Focus on the small progress you make rather than the big picture and take things one step at a time. Every little bit counts! And remember they are only young once!
Win the morning
Conquer the morning! Conquer the day! Cheesy you say! Well, call it what you want, I call that diligence. I’m one hell of an early bird with my brain and body up by 5 am almost daily. Yes, I’ve been doing this since I can remember(I’m now 45) and it makes a huge difference in the way I see the morning and my day ahead.
Let’s say you wake up at 5 am but most wake up at 7 am, you have just increased your wakefulness by 30 extra days a year! You have simply given yourself an extra month a year of life by not sleeping in! Think about that for a minute(2 hours a day for 365 days gives you 730 hours of ‘EXTRA’ time).
But very few actually will go ahead and do this. Shame on you! This will add years to your life. Extra time to exercise, meditate, read, learn, stretch… whatever YOU feel like doing ’cause the whole house will be sleeping. That 4 am to 7 am…is my happy dad time. Yasssir!
Conclusion
I’ve lived in Korea for most of my adult life and I love it here. I’m raising my 5-year-old here and we are having a great time. Simply building good habits is all this is about. It takes about 66 days to build proper long-lasting habits.
Patience, Waking up extra early, journaling, etc…don’t often come naturally to most fathers or anyone for that matter. So maybe you can read through these and get some inspiration for boosting your power to conquer the day and week in a happy and calm manner! It’s simple, really.
So, get your coffee ready and get your day going! Cheers
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