Simple Tips Being a Good Dad and Husband.

It's pretty amazing what a guy can can find on the internet. He can find advice on how to fix a car, replace a window or solve why his hot water heater keeps going out. He can play fantasy football, watch a baseball game live or find the stats of a baseball game played July 8, 1962. Know what isn't so easy to find? Websites on how to be a good dad trying to raise good, solid Catholic kids. There are good sites out there, such as Catholic Dads Online. --don't get me wrong But even that site talks about how "Catholic moms rock when it comes to building communities. We men. . . not so good." Catholic moms have a ton of resources available to them such as Faith and Family Live.

So why are there so many parenting blogs for moms but not so many for dads? Well, I'm no expert (despite the fact that I have a blog) but here is an idea. I think men, in general, keep simpler ideas when it comes to relationships. This seems to drive our spouses CRAZY! It can appear that we don't care because we don't fret over the small things. There is nothing further from the truth. We do care we just simplify things. For instance, I only want three things in my life. Two of them are that at the end of my life I will have been a good husband and an awesome dad.

But how can we good good husbands and good dads? Simple. Watch carefully because I am going to give my advice on how to be a good dad and a good husband. If you've read my blog before you know I like lists but, I think, in the concept of "keep it simple, stupid" I am going to keep my list at two. Two simple steps at being a good dad and a good husband.

Love your wife--straight from the Bible guys, love your wife like Jesus loved the church. Be ready to lay down your life for her. When other people see the two of you together they should come away with the understanding that she is the most important person in the world to you. Treat her with respect. Don't bicker with her. Don't complain about her to others--ESPECIALLY to other women. Keep your eyes only on her. Stay away from pornography and other temptations. Listen to her talk about her day. Let her believe she is in charge. Make her feel like she is the most beautiful woman in the world. Sure, you are going to have your squabbles and such but at the end of the day she should have no doubt that you love her. Simple right?

Love your kids--and show them you love them. Don't get so caught up in your work, your volunteering or hobbies that your kids are left out. Make time for each of them. Tell them that you love them. Listen to them. Laugh with them. Play with them. Be a cheer leader for them. Prepare them for the world. Discipline them. Be patient with them. Be their parent and not their friend. Teach them about God. Teach them to be ladies. Teach them to be men. Make sure they can recite quotes from old movies. Teach them about the birds and the bees. Teach them to love each other and to defend each other. Simple.

Two simple steps which actually can be narrowed down to one word--love. Love can take you far. Love is simple and yet complex. It takes time. It takes effort. It must be expressed. Maybe I'm making it too simplified. Lord knows my kids surely think sometimes that I'm a jerk. They get frustrated with me. My wife will tell you I don't always follow the tips I gave. My goal is simple--to be a husband and an awesome dad.