What exactly makes a man a good father? Many experts tell us that there are several traits that indicate a man is a good dad; read on to find out if you fit the bill:

A fair disciplinarian is first on most lists; they love their children but are not going to let them get away with major transgressions. While they will disapprove of these misdeeds and are not above using tough love, they do so with their words rather than their hands.

Next is allowing the children to make some mistakes; after all they are only human and a good father realizes this and knows that making these mistakes is a part of maturing and growing. There are certain things that just seem to be a rite of passage, however, a good father also lets the child know that repeated irresponsible acts will not be tolerated.

Open mindedness is the next trait of a good father which means that he knows that everything from people to tastes and standards changes over time and with that in mind will not try to set up some standard from their own time. This may include realizing that things like body piercings are more acceptable now or even that people talk more openly about personal situations or issues; whatever the case a good dad lets his child be part of their own day and age.

Next on the list is spending quality time with the kids; a good father knows ways to have fun with their children whether it is taking them to the movies, going to sporting events or attending their own functions. A good dad takes time to listen and knows how to have an easy conversation with them based on their level of understanding.

Perhaps one of the most important traits is leading by example; forget the old “do as I say not as I do” philosophy. If you do not want your kids to drink heavily or to smoke then you should not do those things and you should teach them to handle conflict by being both reasonable and firm. In other words be sure to live the values that you want your children to have.

A good father does everything within his power to give all the tools that he possess in order for his child to become a better person.

In order for a relationship to be happy and healthy you need to be able to find different ways of keeping things fresh and interesting. So if have been feeling like you have just been going through the motions there are some things that you can do to spice everything up a bit.

Try breaking the rules every so often, for example, instead of waiting for two days after a date to call her call earlier and surprise her or even wait a little bit longer, just keep her guessing. And if you want to be sure that she always wants more try planting a big hot kiss on her and then just end the night. This actually serves two different purposes: the first is that it keeps you definitely on her mind and since you are the one ending both the kiss and evening it tends to make her want more.

Try not to make yourself too available in the relationship; in other words if she says something about getting together on Saturday try suggesting Friday, or if she says Saturday suggest Sunday or Monday. Now don’t do this on a consistent basis or you may find yourself without a date permanently. But it never hurts to give the impression of having a good social life; even if you really don’t it still keeps her on her toes.

If you are always eating at the places she likes and suggests then try taking control and suggesting a different restaurant. However, that does not mean to pick a place you know that she hates the idea is not for you to be inconsiderate, but to be assertive.

Try to have a night out with the guys instead of letting her plan the week; this will let her know that you do have other people in your life and it makes her wonder exactly what you do on those nights out with the guys. A little dose of jealousy in a relationship never hurts.
Basically just try to keep a fun and healthy balance of the old give and take in your relationship. Once that balance has been achieved things will be a lot more interesting.

It has been said that some women will just let themselves go once they are in a relationship and it is frequently true. However, men are guilty of the same thing; women are just more tolerant of it. This does not mean that you should not make the effort because a woman does notice and she too misses the body you had when the two of you first met.

Here is a short list of “body blunders” that she finds the most offensive:

“Man Boobs” – Since this is most likely her favorite place to lay her head and lovingly caress it is a treasured area for her; meaning that a carpet covered pair of posh man boobs is definitely not a turn on (even more so if yours are bigger than hers).

“Beer Belly” – When she looks at you this is what she sees since your stomach is basically your whole front. No one likes to look at a protruding, saggy stomach and since that seems to be where men gain weight first, especially you regular beer drinkers, that is naturally the main source of your excess weight. No, you do not have to have abs made of steel, but being tucked in is definitely nice.

“Bad Teeth” – Having bad teeth will make you lose out on more than you will ever know. Smiles are how you show pleasure and if when you show your pleasure you display broken/missing, stained, etc. teeth you may want to consider some dental work. Keep in mind that having bad teeth usually means that you have bad breath as well.

“Hairy Backs” – Smooth, beautiful backs are certain women pleasers and may get you further than your full head of hair or sparkling personality will. Of course it is not your fault that you have those hairy genes, but truthfully you may get more attention without all of that hair. There are some women that love that excess hair, deeming it manly, but on the whole less is better.

Sexual attractiveness is important and sometimes as a relationship goes on complacency and laziness may start to creep in; if you want her to make more of an effort when it comes to her appearance you need to do the same.

We’ve all been here before, and chances are, we’ll wind-up in the doghouse again. Here are some ways to get a ladder up and out of the doghouse, and back in good graces with the one that you love:

1.       Measure Up.
You’ll know largely by the chill factor  you get from your spouse or girlfriend, but generally speaking, screw-ups land you in four depths of hell:
Ankle-Deep – Knee-Deep – Waste-Deep – Over Your Head

Unless you know you’re in over your head, these tips work.

2.       Own Up.

It ain’t always easy, but it’s simple. Apologize. (By the way, an apology doesn’t include the word “but.” ) Admit the foul, and that you know it hurt her.

3.       Pony Up.
More than flowers, jewelry, spa days…or other gimmes, what works is giving time. Sweat equity, to be specific. Give her a break. There is a direct relationship to domestic duties you do, and the rate of speed you bounce back. The more you do, the faster you recover. So, take the kids. Have them fed, bathed and in bed when she comes home from her away time.

4.       And if you’re in Over Your Head, probably the best advice (after you measure up, own up, and pony up), is shut up. Let her talk. Ask her what she wants.

5.       Stand Up.

Ask forgiveness. Remember that love is a verb. And repeat number 3.

Finding the Right Words…For Her and an Answer For Just About Anything

They right ones make all the difference–small and mighty powerful, intentional words. Knee-buckling, gut-busting, eye-misting phrases that she never forgets. Eloquence is easier when you have the right tools. Think of these resources as your technical Cyrano, when you need a little inspiration.

Before you choke on the right phrase, or if you want to settle a bet, or even if you want to get a recommendation for a good restaurant, here’s your go to. These “people driven” engines will receive your question via text, phone or computer and a live person will research your question.

They route your question to a live person. Your answer is then returned to your phone as a text message within a short wait. Check them out for fun. Ask them anything, see what happens:

Cha-Cha.com

Simply ask your question from your mobile phone as if you were talking to a smart friend.

Call 1.800.2ChaCha (1.800.224.2242)
Text 242242 (spells ChaCha)

Mosio.com
Ask@mosio.com

kgb.com

text 542542 but be prepared to pay .99 per answer (plus text charges, if applicable)