Have you ever stopped to think about how your priorities change over time? From when you are young and entering the workplace, to when you have children, to when you are thinking about retirement and then looking back on your life. Now is a good time to think about it.
“I don’t suppose anybody ever gets to their deathbed scene wishing they’d spent more time at the office. You only have your kids for a while; they’re only small once, so why not enjoy them? Parenting has its drudgery and its stresses and low moments. Kids break your heart and wear you out, but anything that’s important will cost you something.”
“Parenting can be difficult, but the reward is so great” – Tim Winton
Top Tips for Prioritising Fathering
The benefits of prioritising fathering can be felt in the wellbeing of yourself, your kids, your family and your relationships.
Here are some tips to help you prioritise your family more with work.
- Assess your balance. Assess your work-family priorities and compare these against how you currently are using your time.
- Have open honest discussions with your partner/family. Talk about what is most important for everyone involved and be willing to compromise.
- Explore ways to add some extra time with your kids. Some great times for discussions and keeping in touch with your kids are in the car, walking together somewhere or doing chores together.
- Join forces with other dads, father figures and parents at work. Be open at work about being a father, and that family is important to you. Normalise the way you prioritise fatherhood at work by making sure your colleagues know you’re a dad.
- Involve the children in your work. Organise to bring them to work and/or introduce them to your colleagues. Show them what you do each day so they can feel more connected to you. This can give them new appreciation for what you do as well as giving you more things to talk about and share about each other, especially as they get older.
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