This month I had the opportunity to attend the high school graduation of my nephew. The son of my younger brother and the youngest grandchild of my parents. We travelled out of state to gather with family to show our support and recognize that our presence is the most important gift we can give. As…
Be a beacon of serenity, courage and wisdom for the world to see. Look for the rainbow.
This week I thought about some dads who are challenged to stay engaged with their children. I thought about dads experiencing Prom night, driving lessons, moving to middle school and high school next fall and sending their kids away to camps this summer. I am reminded of my thoughts in Be There Dad about our…
In the past few weeks many of us have been entertained by some excellent golf including The Masters and the RBC Heritage. When I watch, I am most impressed by the way the accomplished golfers “manage” the golf course. Collaborating with their caddies they have a vision and strategy for navigating each hole. Begin with…
A long-time Be There Dad shared with me a quote attributed to Muhammed Ali. It says, “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.” An extension of “Love your neighbor,” it provides a framework for our obligations as dads. We are all called to serve each other. So, I…
This year most of us are watching intently as politicians seek election to office. Adults have the privilege of choosing who will represent us in places like Washington, DC and Raleigh, so now is a unique time to teach our children. In our democracy that privilege of voting and making other decisions assumes that people…
Recently there has been a rise in “hatefulness” in our country. Much of it starts when folks just look at others and see differences. These circumstances reminded me of an article we shared two years ago. Lots to Do It was a typical Saturday morning. Knowing I had lots of chores to do, I neither…
In his new book, How to Know A Person, David Brooks explores how we truly get to know a person and establish a relationship. As I read it, I realized that his conclusions are consistent with the Be There Dad approach to engaging and building relationships with our children. Joined with Be There Dad notions,…
As we dads continue to reflect on the ways we can engage with our children, in order to truly connect with them, it is best to understand how they view us, We should consider how we can best fulfill their expectations. What is important to them? We can ask, “What does their daddy do?” The…