Advice: The role of the father is like no other

BY MARIA LUIS SALCINES

Men don’t always know how to share their feelings. Sometimes, unfairly, men are judged by the things they don’t say instead of by their loving actions.

Fathers show their love by providing for their family and helping to solve problems around the house, such as making sure the cars run OK.

Research shows that the more involved a father is the more satisfaction and cohesion the family will experience.

When you grow up with a father who loves and protects you, you grow up with a sense of security.

Children with involved dads learn to handle challenges and tend to take more risks, because fathers encourage their children to be more aggressive and competitive.

Mothers and fathers raise their children differently. These differences give children the opportunity to see life from different perspectives.

There is no better way for a father to love his children than to be present and show them they can always count on him.

My brother and I were raised by a father who modeled how a man should love his wife and children.

My dad left Cuba at the age of 26 and brought our family to the United States. He worked long hours and sacrificed his time with us so that my mother could stay home.

His work ethic and his attitude toward dealing with challenges set an example not only for us, but also for his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

His life is a testament to what a person can do when they work hard and live life with integrity.

The older I get, the more I value and love my dad.

I am blessed to have men in my life who exemplify the meaning of fatherhood — my husband, my father, my brother and now my sons.

Dads, unlike moms, do not always know the right things to say or do, but are at their best by setting an example.

A man who makes his family a priority, who loves his wife and provides for his family, and whose steadfast love his family can always count on, is a wise teacher.

Maria Luisa Salcines is a freelance writer, and certified parent educator with The International Network for Children and Families in Redirecting Children’s Behavior and Redirecting for a Cooperative Classroom. Follow her on Twitter @PowerOfFamily or on Instagram @mlsalcines or contact her on her blog FamilyLifeandFindingHappy.com.