Yeah…I know what you thinking. “Mike with six (6) years underneath your belt, how the heck could you provide any tips on being a great Fire Dad”. Well I’m here today to debunk you naysayers with all my wonderful credentials
- I have a PhD – NOPE
- I am a licensed psychologist – NOPE
- I am a counselor of sorts – NOPE
- I have countless years of experience (parent, grandparent, etc) – NOPE
- I deal with children daily (well sometimes at the firehouse)
- I have a license – YES – Illinois Driver’s License
Well now that I have your attention and you know that I am well versed to give you advice…LET’S GET STARTED. Here is my TOP TEN TIP LIST on being the BEST FIRE DAD.
Capture the Moments – What do I mean by this? Well, I know that people have told me throughout the years that I need to enjoy all aspects of the growth of the girls. I kind of listened and but did not realize the true meaning of the saying. It seems like yesterday that I witnessed the epic battle of Miazilla vs. Milana Kong. This one still makes me smile.
I wanted to capture more of the moments with video and pics but I have been slow with pulling out a camera. I am getting better but these are the things that I want to always be able to watch. They grow up so fast (yeah I know Dad….you told me that over 6 years ago). I will have to work on this.
Have Them “Shoot the Moon”
I wish I could say differently but there is definitely equality issues when we are discussing women and men within most occupations. That being said, I want each of the girls to find what will make them happy. I want them to shoot for anything and everything that they want. I will help them in anyway I can. If they want to be the next CEO of Microsoft, Google, etc, I plan on helping them achieve it. I keep enforcing the idea that they should never listen to people that try to knock them down or belittle their dreams. I am also helping them with the basics (math, reading, etc) to ensure that they are ready when they choose their path. Right now each of them has written down what they want to be. Mia has told me that she wants to be a “hair cutter, a police officer, a firefighter and a brain doctor”. I guess she takes after her Daddy.
Cherish the Moments
As I discussed in previous posts, some of the smallest things can be the most important. When we do things as a family, I want it to be things that can be cherished by everyone. Yes sometimes that requires to spend more money but I love to hear them talk about activities that mean the most to them. What is interesting is in most cases it is the simple “free” things that make the most impact. One of the things that the girls like to do which has them giggle is listening to music in the car where I will act out like a little kid. If you want to see it sometime, follow me over to Zion and you will see us rocking out with me singing to the girls. I’m preparing myself so I can embarrass them in front of all their friends and more importantly….any boyfriends! I’m gonna be that DAD!
Be Their Father But Also a Friend
What I do not agree with is when people say they are their child’s best friend. You have to be a parent first but I believe you can also play a role as a friend. The friend element, I believe, should be more of a limited nature. I know….I know there are plenty of psychobabblers that believe you need to be their best friend. Sorry I’m not raising a group of entitled young ladies. They need to know that I am helping them develop into wonderful ladies that can “take over the world”. At the same time, I always try to keep an open line of communication with them so that they can come to me with issues that they have. Sometimes it does require me to suppress my emotions (yes….it is very difficult) but I try my best to be there for them. I think in the future when their “girlie issues” start flowering, it might be different BUT I have delivered babies in the back of cramped ambulances, I have purchased feminine products in the past and I read Cosmopolitan magazine….So I am READY!
Praise!
No this is my attempt at getting religious on you! People need to be loved and part of that also has to deal with praising them. Milana is my girly girl and loves to pretty things (I pity the dude she marries – It’s gonna be BIG DIAMONDS and PRETTY CLOTHES). I try to stay away from praising a ton on just looks alone. I think it is important to show praise for her getting herself dressed, helping Bella do the same, preparing breakfast, etc. Sometimes, I probably do not do it as much as I should but I try.
One recent activity that impressed the heck out of me when a charity activity required Mia to go out and collect money. When I was a kid, this meant that my parents would give me money to make the minimum amount and I never lifted a finger to collect money. WELL….Mia took the bull by the horns. We told her for every dollar that she collected (Jump Rope for Heart) we would match it. She was excited to go collect money. Knowing me, I thought it would be her doing one house and coming home. NOPE. She went to the majority of the houses in the subdivision by herself and collecting money. This made me SUPER PROUD. She did a great job…not to mention our neighbors were very generous. She came home with about $110. My jaw hit the floor….because she did that AND I had to kick in another $110. Moreover, she impressed me more that she then donated her own money into the envelope to do her part….she does not part with her money very easily (probably got that from Mommy:)~~~~
Part 2 will be coming up next!