Maybe you're considering marrying your boyfriend but you're not sure that he's going to be able to father future kids. Or maybe you're already married and thinking about taking the big leap into parenthood. You may even have a few kids already but you aren't sure how the fathering thing is going.
No matter what point your family's at, if your husband or boyfriend has these 10 characteristics, he's definitely going to be an excellent dad.
1. He's not afraid of looking like a fool
If your husband doesn't get embarrassed too easily, that's a sign that he has what is takes to be an exceptional dad. It means he's the kind of guy who will let his daughter paint sparkly purple nail polish on his fingers and be happy about it because he wants to make her feel important.
2. He takes care of you when you're sick
When you're sick, you pretty much revert to your childhood self, completely dependent on someone else to bring you bowls of soup and watching far too many Disney cartoons. If your husband is considerate of you when you're sick, he's definitely the kind of person who will be great at fathering. Not only that, but if he can deal with you throwing up everywhere, a bit of spit up or a stinky diaper isn't going to phase him.
3. He sacrifices like it's his day job
If your husband is willing to surrender what he wants to do (from the small things like getting Chinese food instead of Mexican to the bigger things like going to work instead of staying home and sleeping) for his wife and family, there's no way he's not a fantastic dad.
Every change in relationship from singlehood to marriage and then from marriage to parenthood requires significant personal sacrifice. If your husband is the kind of person who's more concerned with others' happiness than his own, he's an amazing father.
4. He treats kids like people
Even if you don't have kids, you've probably seen your man interact with some little ones. Does he brush them off like they are pesky cats getting all up in his business or does he kneel down and talk to them about how their plastic light saber is the coolest toy, like, ever? If your husband cares about kids the same way he cares about adults, he will be a great dad.
5. He cooks dinner
If your husband is the kind of guy that doesn't find issue with cleaning the toilet or folding laundry it means he's the kind of man that isn't going to leave other "female" jobs like parenting just to you. The way he fulfills his responsibility to participate in household chores is telling of the way he will care for fussy children in the middle of the night. An excellent dad recognizes that fathers are as much responsible for the nurturing of their children as mothers are.
6. He's patient
Parenting can try your patience like nothing else. Kids take longer to do simple tasks and sometimes you just can't explain why it's important to not unfasten a seatbelt 14 times in a single car ride. Good parents are people who can deal with these kind of situations on a regular basis without going too crazy. So your man's patience is a good predictor of his parenting skills.
7. He cracks corny jokes
When you're at the store and the bagger asks, "would you like the milk in a bag?" has your husband ever responded with, "that's okay, you can leave it in the carton?" Have you ever told him you're hungry and he's said, "that's not your name?" If so, he's got dad jokes down and probably rocks at most everything dad.
8. He's tolerant of mistakes
Mistakes are naturally a part of life. But the life of a parent is confronted with a multiplied amount of mistakes. Your kids are still learning about the world. This means sometimes they are going to make awful choices.
Not only do parents have to handle the mistakes of their children, they also have to deal with their own errors as they navigate the new world of parenting. Your man will be a great dad if he is good at brushing off both his own mistakes and the mistakes of others (and uses those mistakes as means of propelling forward).
9. He's inventive
Your husband is going to be a great dad if he thinks of awesome date ideas or original ways to fix the broken door handle. This is a skill that rolls over to dad-hood because whether you've got toddlers or teenagers, kids are going to challenge your creativity. If your husband is inventive, he'll be able to think of unique ways to teach, entertain, discipline, and help your children.
10. He loves you
The best dads teach their kids what respect and love are through the way they care for their wives. A husband who holds his wife's hand in public and values her advice is a good man. If your man is a fantastic husband, he's going to be a fantastic dad.
No matter what point your family's at, if your husband or boyfriend has these 10 characteristics, he's definitely going to be an excellent dad.
1. He's not afraid of looking like a fool
If your husband doesn't get embarrassed too easily, that's a sign that he has what is takes to be an exceptional dad. It means he's the kind of guy who will let his daughter paint sparkly purple nail polish on his fingers and be happy about it because he wants to make her feel important.
2. He takes care of you when you're sick
When you're sick, you pretty much revert to your childhood self, completely dependent on someone else to bring you bowls of soup and watching far too many Disney cartoons. If your husband is considerate of you when you're sick, he's definitely the kind of person who will be great at fathering. Not only that, but if he can deal with you throwing up everywhere, a bit of spit up or a stinky diaper isn't going to phase him.
3. He sacrifices like it's his day job
If your husband is willing to surrender what he wants to do (from the small things like getting Chinese food instead of Mexican to the bigger things like going to work instead of staying home and sleeping) for his wife and family, there's no way he's not a fantastic dad.
Every change in relationship from singlehood to marriage and then from marriage to parenthood requires significant personal sacrifice. If your husband is the kind of person who's more concerned with others' happiness than his own, he's an amazing father.
4. He treats kids like people
Even if you don't have kids, you've probably seen your man interact with some little ones. Does he brush them off like they are pesky cats getting all up in his business or does he kneel down and talk to them about how their plastic light saber is the coolest toy, like, ever? If your husband cares about kids the same way he cares about adults, he will be a great dad.
5. He cooks dinner
If your husband is the kind of guy that doesn't find issue with cleaning the toilet or folding laundry it means he's the kind of man that isn't going to leave other "female" jobs like parenting just to you. The way he fulfills his responsibility to participate in household chores is telling of the way he will care for fussy children in the middle of the night. An excellent dad recognizes that fathers are as much responsible for the nurturing of their children as mothers are.
6. He's patient
Parenting can try your patience like nothing else. Kids take longer to do simple tasks and sometimes you just can't explain why it's important to not unfasten a seatbelt 14 times in a single car ride. Good parents are people who can deal with these kind of situations on a regular basis without going too crazy. So your man's patience is a good predictor of his parenting skills.
7. He cracks corny jokes
When you're at the store and the bagger asks, "would you like the milk in a bag?" has your husband ever responded with, "that's okay, you can leave it in the carton?" Have you ever told him you're hungry and he's said, "that's not your name?" If so, he's got dad jokes down and probably rocks at most everything dad.
8. He's tolerant of mistakes
Mistakes are naturally a part of life. But the life of a parent is confronted with a multiplied amount of mistakes. Your kids are still learning about the world. This means sometimes they are going to make awful choices.
Not only do parents have to handle the mistakes of their children, they also have to deal with their own errors as they navigate the new world of parenting. Your man will be a great dad if he is good at brushing off both his own mistakes and the mistakes of others (and uses those mistakes as means of propelling forward).
9. He's inventive
Your husband is going to be a great dad if he thinks of awesome date ideas or original ways to fix the broken door handle. This is a skill that rolls over to dad-hood because whether you've got toddlers or teenagers, kids are going to challenge your creativity. If your husband is inventive, he'll be able to think of unique ways to teach, entertain, discipline, and help your children.
10. He loves you
The best dads teach their kids what respect and love are through the way they care for their wives. A husband who holds his wife's hand in public and values her advice is a good man. If your man is a fantastic husband, he's going to be a fantastic dad.
