A Message To My Fellow Dads

Jewish tradition teaches us that we dads are required to do a few important things when it comes to raising their children. We’re supposed to teach our kids:

1. Torah, the values and ethics of Judaism that are the building blocks of character, the lessons that teach our kids how to be good people.
2. How to make a living. We want to raise children with strong morals, but if they can’t eventually support themselves, they will never truly thrive.
3. How to swim – when we do so, we’re teaching them not just how to survive on their own in an actual pool, we’re instilling within them survivor skills that will be invaluable to them as they swim through life. We won’t always be there to toss them the lifesaver so it’s essential that they know how to swim literally and figuratively.

This Father’s Day, enjoy teaching your kids. Don’t forget to bring a towel. And, don’t forget to thank the dads, grandfathers and other men in your life who have served as your teachers and made you the man you are today.

Happy Father’s Day!