Know your children through the principle of presence. Dads, you only have a limited amount of time to get to know your children. Time with children, therefore, must be seen as time invested, not merely time spent. Be it daily time or weekly time, make sure these times are quality times. Ask them intentional questions about their faith, play a game with them, throw the frisbee, and don’t forget to spend one-on-one time with each child.

Knowing your children requires quality communication. First, look for the most effective way to interact with each child. Each child is different, so avoid cookie-cutter interactions that don’t take into account the uniqueness of each child. Second, build up your children with your words. You must be your child’s biggest cheerleader. This doesn’t mean you overlook their sin and shortcomings, but it does mean that you as a Dad are committed to modeling the use of words that build others up. Finally, listen well and speak to the heart. When your children talk to you, stop what you’re doing and look at them. Listen to what he or she is saying. Then, speak to the heart of your child. At times, avoid the common questions about sports and school. Point them to Jesus, heaven, faith, grace, and the church

The Shepherd Leader at Home: Knowing, Leading, Protecting, and Providing for Your Family