Quality Time

My husband’s father worked two jobs and often said he thought he was a better grandparent than a dad.

I totally disagreed with him. My husband worked for his parents since he was 12, stocking shelves with oil, sweeping the floors, and helping out at the shop wherever needed. Spending time with his dad and the work ethic and lessons he learned were instilled in him by his dad’s examples.

I think where his dad was coming from, is when you become a grandparent, hopefully you are at a point in your life where you can spend more time with your grandchildren.

The towing and recovery industry is hard on dads and family life, and while I know my husband missed many family events and family time, he still showed our children what I think are the core duties for a dad:

• Being a role model by setting a positive example through behavior and values
• Providing financial needs
• Ensuring the family’s safety and security
• Having a loving and respectful relationship with their partner
• Teaching discipline by setting expectations and guiding self-control
• Offering consistent unconditional love
• Providing both emotional and material support
• Teaching responsibility by encouraging accountability and independence
• Motivating, encouraging and supporting your children’s goals
• Teaching right from wrong

Providing food and shelter are important and certainly is a form of love, but I have learned that it is essential for dads to spend quality time, teaching and guiding their kids alongside moms.

That is one of the things I wish I would have insisted on when the kids were growing up — spending more quality time together.