So… You want to be the ultimate working family man? Buckle up champ, it’s going to be quite the ride. Becoming the ultimate working family man isn’t easy. There are a lot of things that you will have to sacrifice… Time, money, sleep, golf, and hanging with the guys. Don’t change you mind too quickly though, because the definition of sacrifice is to temporarily give up something good in exchange for something eternally better.
If you are willing to give it a go, strap on your finest pair of dad sandals, pull up your cargo shorts, prepare your corniest dad jokes, and get to work starting with these tips.
Work time is work time, family time is family time.
Kids don’t quite understand the concept of grinding through tough work, they just wonder why you didn’t finish your work when you were at the office and are ready to come home and play with them.
The first step to becoming the ultimate working family man is to separate work time from family time. Making this adjustment was incredibly difficult. I learned that it is better to spend an extra hour or two at the office on days when work gets piled up rather than take it home. Your kids and spouse are more likely to feel ignored if you are working at home while they are all there. Also, with more distractions at home, more work can be completed in an office setting.
Make time for physical fitness.
If you don’t think you are going to encounter stress as the ultimate working family man, think again. It will happen. Physical fitness relieves stress and will help you avoid taking it out on your family. It’s also important to set an example for your kids on what it means to be physically healthy.
Understand the different love languages and which ones resonate most with each family member.
Each member of your family feels love in different ways. Some need to hear words of affirmation, some need to spend quality time with you, some need physical touch, some need to receive acts of service, and some need to receive gifts. Practice using each of the love languages on all of your family members until you figure out which one resonates with each member the most.
A happy spouse makes a happy home.
This is your most important relationship as the ultimate working family man. Plan a date night every week and mix things up. Go to new restaurants and try new things. My wife loves when I cook at home so you can give your spouse a break and take care of getting dinner set up. Also, whatever it is that the two of you like to do, make sure you are having fun together. Investing time into your relationship with your spouse is one of the wisest decisions you can make for your whole family.
Take your kids out to do something fun every week.
Nothing means more to a kid than quality one-on-one time with their dad. Try every week to do something with each of your kids. I understand that this can be tricky to budget time for, so you should at least be spending one-on-one time with your kids every two to three weeks. Some ideas for this include visiting a zoo or aquarium, going out to a sporting event, going on an outdoor adventure, or even letting them shadow you at work for a day.
Plan vacations around everyone’s input.
Sit down together as a family and discuss what types of things everyone would like to do on a vacation. Make compromises when necessary, but consider the things that everyone has to say when planning a vacation. This way you can go on a vacation that pleases everyone with as little arguing as possible.
Breakthrough the stereotypical household roles.
When it comes to every day home chores, divide and conquer.
Our families are a blessing, and it is our job every day to make sure that they are united and happy. It won’t be easy, but becoming the ultimate working family man will make for a happier and easier home life.
I’d love to hear from you about what you did to become the ultimate working family man!
Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.