Dads learn how to listen and bring sense of fun into home

Take time to be a dad to your daughter. Photo/File

Last week we talked about being a dad and how important that role is for all children.

SKIP (Strategies with Kids and Information for Parents) is currently hosting a dads-only Toolbox parenting course that 12 fathers are attending.

We know from previous courses that, after the six weeks, the dads found the tips and strategies they had learned improved their confidence and added a sense of fun to their parenting. Here's what they said was helpful for them:

Learning to work strategically through problem behaviours

Not to sweat the small stuff

Hot tips on how to communicate

The majority of it was useful, particularly valuing your child and getting down to their level, seeing the world through their eyes

And the significant things that have changed as a result of being on the course?

As a father, being able to change the atmosphere and bring fun into the home

Confidence in parenting and injecting fun into parenting. Learning to be present with the kids and value them individually

Patience, practice and rewards

It has made me a better parent over all

The idea that we, as parents, sometimes need to think about how we communicate to our children brings us to thinking about how children are very individual and that there is a difference between parenting our sons and parenting our daughters.

Sometimes fathers find it easier to relate to their sons and be role models for them, but a special relationship between a father and daughter is also possible. Dad needs to be that special, strong, reliable and trusted male in her life.

As your daughter gets older, make sure you:

Take an interest in her life. Do you know the names of three of her friends? Do you know what her special interests are?

Have fun together. Do you play outdoor games with her?

Don't be too protective of her. Do you place more restrictions on her than her brother?

Be available for one-to-one conversations. Be the listener rather than the talker.

Do things together. Go to her sports events and other activities she is involved in. Do you drive her to school yourself?

Show a positive and respectful attitude to women. How does she see you relate to your partner and other women? What sort of attitude do you show to women on TV or women in general?

SKIP and The Warehouse have partnered to share stories and ideas about what it means to be a dad. Fathers from the Warehouse North Island distribution centre in South Auckland got together to talk to each other about what it means to be a dad.

"When I held her in my arms for the first time it was a big wake-up call ... I've never looked back."

"I thought, if I was a kid, what sort of dad would I like to have?"

"We've all got hard luck stories about how we were brought up by our dads ... now it's our chance to rewrite the script."

SKIP is hosting a dads-only Toolbox early years (0-6yrs) parenting course next term. This course runs for six weeks and is free! To find out about the course or for a copy of the free booklet featuring the Warehouse dads sharing their stories contact SKIP Whanganui on 027 626 1404 or email us skipwanganui@xtra.co.nz