Dads, hit a home run with your kids!
The 2007 baseball season is well underway. Whether you are a fan or not, all dads can pick up a few fathering tips from the game of baseball. In fact, Jack Petrash has written an entire book for fathers using the analogy of baseball, "Covering Home: Lessons on the Art of Fathering from the Game of Baseball."
Check out these ideas, some of which are adapted from Petrash's book, and hit a home-run with your kids:
Work on fundamentals
Fundamentals aren't just for spring training. Great players and dads are consistent in the basics. For dads that means being the kind of dad your child needs you to be. How involved are you with your child? Are you spending quality and quantity time with your children? Are you seeing the world through their eyes? For ongoing tips on honing the fundamentals of fathering visit the Web sites of the National Center for Fathering www.fathers.com and the National Fatherhood Initiative www.fatherhood.org.
Develop good habits
Country singer Rodney Atkins put it this way in his popular song, "Watching You:"
He said, I've been watching you, dad ain't that kool?
I'm your buckaroo, I want to be like you.
And eat all my food and grow as tall as you are.
We got cowboy boots and camo pants.
Yeah, we're just alike, hey, ain't we dad.
I want to do everything you do.
Your children are watching you. Discipline in your personal life is as important to success in fathering as it is to hitting a baseball. It is also a key to raising successful children. Establishing proper guidelines, boundaries and behavioral expectations for both you and your children early on will help your children develop good habits later.
Avoid costly errors, work on your control
Pitchers in baseball always try to avoid a "big inning," i.e., an inning where a lot of runs are scored. Dads, practice the art of self control with your children. According to Petrash, "We (fathers) need to step off the mound and call time before we say or do things unintentionally that move us toward the flash point." For most dads the "flash point" involves an unhealthy expression of anger. For a free on-line course on anger management for parents visit:
www.k-state.edu/wwparent/courses/fireworks
You can't win them all
Great hitters in baseball strike out now and again, in fact most only get a hit one out of every three at-bats. As a father, there are times when you won't make the right decision. When these moments occur, it is important to model a positive attitude for your kids. Seek forgiveness when appropriate. Demonstrate perseverance and make a commitment on their behalf.
Have fun!
Even though the players have million dollar contracts, we shouldn't forget that baseball is a game. As a father you carry many responsibilities, but you shouldn't forget or underestimate the importance of having fun with your children. Many researchers believe that fathers influence their children primarily through play. Not only do dads generally spend a greater percentage of their time with children in playful activities, but they also engage in styles of play that are more physical and exciting than the way mothers typically interact. Across the board, researchers have found that children seem to develop the best social skills when their dads play with them, while maintaining a positive tone and allowing their kids to take part in directing the course of play.
Baseball may not be your game, but it can provide some insights on being the best dad (or mother!) that you can be for your children.
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Remind children to drink water
Children do not tolerate heat as well as adults. They actually generate more heat relative to their body size and they lose more water through sweating. They usually do not instinctively drink enough water to replace lost fluids, so they need help from parents or caregivers to drink more water.
How much water children need depends on their size and activity level. Remember that all body actions produce heat. Even cool and refreshing exercise, such as swimming, can cause the body to sweat and lose water.
Plain cool water is preferred for fluid replacement. The body quickly absorbs water. Diluting flavored and concentrated beverages with extra water allows them to be absorbed more quickly and reduces the amount of added sugars introduced to the body.
To help keep children from becoming dehydrated, offer 10-14 ounces of cool water one to two hours before play. Schedule frequent water breaks every 15 minutes or so to provide 3-4 ounces or about a half a cup.
Signs of dehydration include decreased frequency in urination, dark concentrated urine and a coated tongue. Caregivers are encouraged to seek medical advice promptly in more severe situations when symptoms include nausea, muscle cramps or pain, clammy skin, skin that stays compressed when pinched, sunken eyes and a throbbing heart.
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Safety tips
- The Poison Control number is 1-800-222-1222. If you have a poison emergency or a question about poisons and you're in the United States, call
1-800-222-1222. This toll-free number will put you in touch with the poison control center in your state. If your child has collapsed or is not breathing, call 911.
- Many types of garden and houseplants are poisonous if eaten.
- NEVER leave your child alone around water.
- Take a CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation) class and a first aid class.
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