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Think of good friends. What makes their presence enjoyable? Yes, there must be an emotional bond (especially if a longtime friend), but what (exactly) draws you to them? It’s likely you have commonalities, whether a similar sense of humor, a shared profession, or like, avid interest, like car collecting.
While parents set boundaries and rules for children, it’s important to have an agreeable relationship with kids, like a friendship in many regards. How can a father bond with his son, using a common hobby or interest such as cars?
Give and Take
While friends have common bonds, they can’t agree about everything all the time. When spending time with friends and family members, it’s helpful to the relationship to exhibit reciprocity, allowing for a give-and-take interchange.
“What variety of model car would you like to work on next? You choose this time, and I’ll choose next.” Such discourse allows the son to understand and respect the give-and-take in a relationship with his father. We often need to give to get in life and with people; it’s important for kids to realize such insights.
Patience
Working on model cars takes patience. The process warrants precision and skillful attention. Kids carefully address tasks while enjoying the fruits of labor, using the final product as a racer or model.
A tactful father may direct attention to how the child can use that level of patience to help in a number of practical situations, such as in taking a test at school or dealing with another person amid disagreement. Patience is a learned virtue, and working on models, such as carrera slot cars, facilitates the process.
Reviewed Process
We often revel in the end product, whether it’s a won race, accrued wage, or acquired diploma, sometimes forgetting all of the hours of hard work spent to get there. Those hours of hard work deserve retrospective respect. Kids love the final product, but ensure they admire the work put forth in making it.
Consider making a diary or posting mentions of progress on the house calendar. It makes kids feel appreciated, but more importantly, it gives them a mirror reflection of their own actions. Rather than the outcome alone, kids remember to respect themselves for the entire trajectory of progression.
Teamwork
Successful people admit fortunes are not built alone. We’re reliant on others each day, whether it’s for food service, utility provision, paper delivery, etc. It’s important kids learn cooperation techniques and the importance of teamwork, especially the notion of giving rather than receiving.
It’s easy to ask for help when in need, but it’s much harder to actively provide it. Use model cars to teach kids about the importance of working with others on particular projects. Even the most independent-minded people need others; cooperation is an important skill one can use throughout life.
Model and race cars are fun and attractive to younger men, but more importantly, the hobby affords the occasion of father-son bonding. Furthermore, dads may leverage particular segments and situations to model good behavior, and discuss proper rationale to kids.
Stephen Carter finds parenting to be like a journey of discovery. He enjoys sharing his ideas and parenting stories by blogging.
