Father's Day: Addressing Fears of Being a Dad; 'I Think I'm Messing Up My Kids'

Virginia Allen : Jun 16, 2023
The Daily Signal

"...Try to see the world from your kids' eyes because each child has a different personality and a different point of view. As a dad, it's powerful when you take the time to get to know your child all the way down into their emotions and perceptions and beliefs. So ask questions. 'Hey, so, why did you think that? And what do you think about this?...'" -Dr. Daniel Huerta

[DailySignal.com] Daniel Huerta says it's not uncommon for fathers to tell him they're worried that they're "messing up" their kids. (Image: Pixabay)

Huerta, vice president of parenting and youth at Focus on the Family, says many of the fathers he works with have "fears around the gender issues [and] sexuality issues" in today's culture, and says dads "don't know where to start and how to counter the messages that are out there."

Fathers today are also having to navigate heightened levels of anxiety among kids and teens, says Huerta, a licensed clinical social worker.

"And then there are dads that have [a] tremendous amount of ... demands on their life, from work and from the home, with multiple kids, and just a variety of things that are surrounding them, and they just find themselves tired, worn out, and distracted," he says. (Image: Pixabay)

Fortunately, there are practical tools, such as asking simple questions, that Huerta says can help fathers connect with their children in a significant way. 

With Father's Day around the corner, Huerta joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to offer dads a practical road map for how they can move toward having stronger relationships with their children and navigate the parental challenges of the current culture. Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

Listen to the podcast or read a portion of the transcribed interview Here.