How to Become a Good Father · Global Voices
Milton Ramirez

Image by Lon&Queta on flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0).
Panamanian Joel Silva Díaz elaborates what many people wonder, especially men: how to be a good father. On his personal blog he describes his challenges with his own father and his goals as a father:
…Recuerdo que veía como un juego el buscar un tema de conversación, debido a mi falta de interés en el deporte, nunca tuvimos una conversación de más de 5 líneas (legítimamente contadas por más de 10 años), pero conociendo otros casos e historias, por lo menos tuve un padre.
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Y es eso lo que quiero mejorar, quiero ser un padre que no haga las cosas sin enterarse, quiero abrazar, quiero besar a mis hijos, presentarle siempre la opción de tomar las mejores decisiones y apoyarlos cuando no tomen las mejores, nunca dudar en mostrarles mi amor y cariño, mucho menos dudar cuando se ganen un coscorrón.
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Pero mi parte no quiero que se quede en un apellido, o un cheque en la quincena, mi parte ha de ser presente, determinante y quiero que mi hijo o hija tenga por lo menos un solo recuerdo lindo impregnado en su corazón, como los domingos de Salsa y el olor a grama recién cortada de los domingos en mi casa.
I remember I considered a game to look for something to talk about, due to my lack of interest in sports we never had a conversation longer than five lines (rightfully registered for over ten years), but knowing other cases and stories, I at least had a father.
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And that's what I want to improve,I want to be a father that does things without noticing it, I want to hug, kiss my children, present them the best option to make the best decisions and support them when they don't make the good ones, never hesitate in demonstrating my love and care, let alone when they earn a smack on the head.
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As for me, I don't want a last name to last, nor a check every two weeks, my part has to be present, decisive and I want my child to have at least on only nice memory in their heart, as Salsa and the scent of recently trimmed off grass on Sundays at home.
Are you, or plan to be a good father?
You can read Silva Diaz following his accounts on G+ or Twitter