Father. This word brings up a variety of thoughts and emotions when it is spoken or thought about. Thinking of your own father or other fathers you know probably brings a lot of memories, both good and bad. A father is a person of great influence in a life. He has a strong affect on his children whether he never spends one day with them or whether he is present every day of their lives. A father forever affects his children's picture of a man and of a provider. Many little boys grow up and want to be just like their father. Many girls grow up and want to marry someone just like their father. What thoughts or memories does the word 'father' invoke for you? Are your first thoughts pleasant or hard? Do you have childhood memories that include hours of playtime with your father? Or maybe you remember how your father taught you to fish, climb trees, or build huge castles. Did your father teach you how to ride a bike, catch a baseball or throw a football? If only everyone could be so lucky and have nothing but great memories and feel fondness for their father. Having a good father is something that will forever impact the heart and life of a child. So, whether you grew up with an amazing father or a not so memorable father, it is important that you commit yourself to learning to be a good father for your own children. How can you be a good father? Fathering children well is simply a matter of loving your children like you would love anyone else. What does loving someone require? Perhaps you think of time or perhaps you think of giving gifts as a way to love someone. One of the best ways to be a good father is to spend time with your children. Make time in your busy schedule for them. Spend time getting into their worlds, learning about what they do at school, learning about their friends, and learning about the things they care about. You will never have a strong relationship with your children if they have no memories of time with their father. So rather than working those extra hours of overtime consider spending those hours playing with and learning your children. Another way to become a great father is to verbally affirm and praise your children. A child's confidence and security can be built up greatly with kind words from a father or mother. Consider the power of your words and the affect that one negative or positive comment can have on your child. For most children it is the negative comments they will remember, so look for ways to cut out negative comments or criticism. Let your children grow up with nothing but praise and loving words from their father. Having a great father can be one of the biggest blessings in a child's life. And being a great father can be one of the greatest blessings in your life. So, think of creative ways to get involved in the lives of children and be the kind of father they will try to emulate someday.