Leaving a Legacy
Courstesy of the National Fatherhood Initiative

In honor of our favorite holiday--Father's Day--we want to help you be the best dad you can be.

We know it's important to you to leave a legacy for your children, so this week we're providing tips to help you leave a positive and lasting foundation for your children and grandchildren.

Develop a "Rite of Passage" Tradition For Your Daughter. When your daughter reaches a certain age, you should take her on a first date to model how a man should treat a woman. Not a fast food burger-joint, but a real sit-down-and-order restaurant. Let her order, seat her, compliment her and let her know that she is a very special woman worthy of a respectful and respectable man.

Develop a "Rite of Passage" Tradition For Your Son. When your son reaches a certain age, take him on a special bonding trip. This trip should be away from home and serve as a sort of "rite of passage" into a significant and/or hallmark age level—13th or 16th birthday. Pass on important “manhood” lessons---what it means to be a responsible father, how men should treat a women, how a real man handle life’s challenges, and how a real man should treat his wife.

Leave a Legacy of Financial Responsibility. As your children age - especially teenagers - they should began to learn money magagment skills. You should begin to leave a legacy of fiscal responsibility and delayed gratification, as opposed to our current societal value of “get it all now and pay later." Leave a legacy of saving and budgeting by involving older kids in the budgeting process, or giving them an allowance and helping them manage their own money.

Build a Spiritual Foundation. Let your children see that you have a spiritual core and values-guided lifestyle. Talk to your kids and be very purposeful in your words and actions about the values you want to instill in them.

Leave a Legacy of Fun and Creativity. Let your children know that life is not all work and structure. Create spontaneous, unplanned memorable moments such as going out for pancakes late at night, going fishing early in the morning, or spraying water on your children when they least expect it. Add some unstructured fun to family life, and you are sure to create lasting memories.

Source: Dad E-Mail, 10/24/2007, www.fatherhood.org.