Dads can be positive role models for living a physically and psychologically healthy life

It is important to recognize the increasing demands of parenthood. Most parents, including fathers, experience stress. From worrying about finances to shuttling children from school to sports practice, parents often feel overwhelmed by responsibilities. 

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, households with children have consistently fared worse than households without children. Adults living with children have reported more difficulty paying daily household expenses, providing adequate food for their family, and have been less secure in their housing payments compared to other households, according to a 2022 Kaiser Family Foundation analysis of federal dataopens in new window.

People often manage their stress in unhealthy ways by smoking, drinking, and overeating. For parents, this is particularly dangerous because their behaviors serve as models for their children. For example, research into the growing adolescent obesity epidemicopens in new window shows that parents’ behaviors, attitudes, and feeding styles around food influence their children’s eating patterns. Fathers and mothers who have unhealthy eating patterns due to stress may be putting their children at risk for emulating their poor stress coping styles. Similarly, parents’ substance useopens in new window often influences the rate at which teens take up these unhealthy habits. On the other hand, parents who have healthy eating habits and who manage their stress by exercising, for example, present positive models for their children to follow. Fathers particularly play an important role in shaping the behaviors, both good and bad, of their young children, adolescents, and teens.

While being a positive role model and managing stress in healthy ways can be a challenging task, fathers can take many different kinds of small steps to start living a physically and psychologically healthy life for themselves and their children. After working a long day, it can be tempting to relax on the couch instead of talking with your children. However, being active and spending time with your children can help you promote healthy habits in your family. Physical activity prompts the release of endorphins, which give your body a natural energy boost and can reduce the toxic effects of stress. Going on a family walk or bike ride, playing catch with your son or daughter, or taking your children on hike in your community will help reduce your stress and model the importance of a healthy lifestyle in your children. Through these activities, you may also find that you have more energy to model these good behaviors for your children.

If you are still feeling overwhelmed by your stress, talking to a mental health professional, such as a psychologist, may help. Practicing psychologists use evidence-based treatments to help people manage their stressors and improve their lives. There are many different approaches to stress management, but a psychologist will choose the type that best fits your characteristics and preferences. To find a psychologist in your area, visit the Psychologist Locator.