How to be More Present as a Father - What Does Being Present Mean? | Dad University

0:00 hey guys in this video we're going to be talking about how to be more present as a father being present means that you are focused and engaged in the here and now you are not mentally absent or distracted so we all know that while we might be with our child at a given moment it doesn't mean that we are fully present we know that being present with our children is important but it can be tough to put into practice so I'm going

0:27 to give you some tips on how to be more present with some real life examples on how to implement them I'm Jason kreidman founder of dad University if you're interested in learning more about our membership which includes courses videos discussions and more visit daduniversity.com for more information let's get into the tips number one put your phone away while this tip could be labeled reduce or eliminate distractions putting your phone away is the most obvious and

0:57 straightforward way to eliminate distractions probably the largest culprit of stealing away quality time with those around us is our phones and removing distractions is a key way in setting yourself up for success in being present the next time you're playing reading or spending time with your child put your phone away we're at a minimum put it on silent mode no notifications beeps or vibrations number two prioritize quality time

1:30 the quality of the time you spend with your child is more important than the quantity of time and it's important to prioritize that quality time this means putting that time on the calendar plan it in advance we put appointments for work on our calendar why not make appointments for our personal lives on our calendar as well like for our kids one way to make it a priority is to have dedicated family time each week for example you could have a family game

2:02 night or a movie night every Friday this helps create a regular routine of quality time that your children and you can look forward to or maybe you have a regular one-on-one date with your child you know every Saturday at 10 A.M we go to the park kids love routine and they'll love spending the time with you because you will be present another way to be present as a father number three active listening you can show your

2:31 children that you value their thoughts and feelings by actively listening to them this means giving them your full attention making eye contact and asking follow-up questions to show that you're interested and engaged one way to do this is to have regular check-ins with your child where you sit them down you ask how their day was what they're feeling and if there's anything that they want to talk about you are centered in on them another example or

2:59 opportunity for active listening is when your child is upset for example if your children comes to you crying because maybe they had something happened at school or something happened with a friend instead of trying to fix the problem right away you just listen and validate their feelings you could say something like I'm so sorry that you had a tough day it's okay to feel sad or angry can you tell me more about what happened you aren't trying to solve it you're

3:29 just listening to them they will feel your presence number four show affection physical touch and affection can help strengthen the bond that you have with your child it's also one of the quickest ways for you to get yourself in the present moment and have your child also feel your presence hugs kisses put your arm around them high five them whatever it helps create a sense of connection and can help your child feel loved and supported

4:00 as our kids get older we have a tendency to maybe give them less affection giving kisses to your baby is easy but to your 12 year old you may be a lot less affectionate than you used to be it's okay give them affection number five do something they enjoy you want your child to feel your presence do something they love to do you may not love gaming playing with dolls building Legos or pretending to be an animal

4:31 do it if it's something that your child enjoys kids find it easy to be present follow their lead and you may find yourself in a wonderful imaginary world of play and fun and present as their father we want our child to grow up to be contributing members of society be respectful and good people our presence has a huge impact on whether that happens or not and the best way for that to likely happen is to do number six

5:01 lead by example you want your children to be nice to people well then you need to show them what it means to be nice you want your child to argue their point calmly and respectfully well you have to do the same show them how set a positive example for your children by modeling good behavior you want your child to take responsibility for their actions and apologize when they misbehave you get to do the same or how

5:30 about being patient and calm during stressful situations if you're feeling stressed and overwhelmed take a deep breath and remain calm we also have some videos on that this can help your children learn how to manage their own emotions in difficult situations remember Monkey C Monkey Do Your Children Are Watching they're listening and they're hearing everything that you do your presence matters it matters a

6:00 lot and being present means physically mentally and emotionally they are all required being present as a father is more than just about physically being there it's about actively engaging with your child listening to them being involved in their lives showing affection and modeling positive behavior by implementing these tips you can strengthen your relationship with your child and create memories that will last a lifetime I do hope that you found this

6:31 video helpful if you want to learn more about Dad University and how it can help you be the best father you can be visit daduniversity.com don't forget to like this video subscribe to the channel and share it with anyone you think might enjoy it we'll see you next time