I think it is important for every family to have a place that they call ‘home’. The word ‘home’ means more than just a house/apartment or a place to live, it has a deeper meaning than merely a physical structure. A ‘home’ has the added connotation of being a place of acceptance, a place of security and a place of peace. Raising children is often a challenge but having a place to call home eases the burden that many parents face.
A ‘home’ is a place that you look forward to returning to after a hard day’s work or a business trip, it’s a place that is inviting, where the doors are always open for family members and those we love. The ‘home’ lights shine brightly if we ever lose our way in life, it can be felt in our hearts and not just seen by our eyes. A ‘home’ is a place of relationship, where everyone knows you as you truly are, and where you don’t need the facades we often use in the outside world.
But in truth many alive today did not grow up in a real ‘home’, they lived inside a house/apartment with their family but never felt the security, acceptance and peace that a ‘home’ brings. This sad reality is the world we live in, but although those affected may have missed out on much, they are not disqualified from building their own ‘home’ in the future.
The dreams we have as men often motivate us to achieve great things in life, and it is important that we follow them and build a better life for ourselves. But no matter how great our dream is in life, we will always need a solid foundation to build from and the best foundation in life is that of ‘family’ and ‘home’.
So, what are the elements that we as men and fathers need to apply to ensure that we are building a ‘home’ and not merely living in a house/apartment? Some I have already mentioned but here is a short list of the things I personally have found helpful in building my ‘home’.
A Place of Welcome:
A ‘home’ is a welcoming place where all are glad to see you again and have missed you while you were away!
A Place of Love:
A ‘home’ is a place where you know you are loved unconditionally, and where those beautiful words ‘I love you’ are spoken often.
A Place of Acceptance:
A ‘home’ is a place where you feel accepted, where you are without doubt ‘one of the team’ and you have a true sense of ‘belonging’ here
A Place of Appreciation:
A ‘home’ is a place where all that we do is sincerely appreciated by the members of the family and not merely ‘expected’ by them.
A Place of Involvement:
A ‘home’ is a place where everyone values the family life we are building and are involved together in making it work.
A Place of Truth:
A ‘home’ is a place where family members love you enough to tell you the ‘truth’ about yourself even if we don’t always want to hear it!
A Place of Security:
A ‘home’ is a place where all feel secure and live without fear, and where all band together as one to defend it if it is ever required.
A Place of Fun:
A ‘home’ is a place that is filled with fun and enjoyment, where sometimes ‘crazy’ things happen, and we get to share ‘our families’ uniqueness and humour.
A Place of Peace:
A ‘home’ is a place where you can just ‘chill out’ and relax and enjoy the soothing and restorative environment of peace.
This is by no means a complete list, but it is a good start for those who share the dream of having a real ‘home’ and not merely a place to live. As fathers there is nothing more important than building a ‘home’ for our family, whether we own it outright or pay rent matters little for in truth a real ‘home’ is built by and for the ‘members of the family’ that live in it.
How do you rate as a Great Dad?
Dads' UNI can also assist you in continuing to develop your own fathering style through a Free subscription that emails you a Fathering Tip each week.