Making Glad Dads - Train Up The Child

On Father’s Day and every day we need to teach our children to be grateful for their fathers, listen to their instruction, and make ‘Glad Dads’.

…children take pride in their fathers
Proverbs 17:6

My son, hear the instruction of your father…
Proverbs 1:8

A person who loves wisdom makes his father happy…
Proverbs 29:3

Bible Lessons:

Proverbs 29:3 Are you doing those things that please your Dad? The Bible says the best way to make your dad happy is to be wise – to do and say those things that please God – to choose to do the right thing. We can ask God to help us make our ‘dad glad’.

John 8:26-28 Jesus said, “I do always those things that please the Father: His Father is God. Jesus always pleased God. Jesus said that He only talked about the things He had heard His Father talk about. He said He did nothing but what His Father had taught Him to do. God is our Father too and we should always please Him. But God, who is our Heavenly Father, has given us an earthly Father. We please God when we listen to our dads just as Jesus listened to his Dad.

Luke 15:11-22 There was a young man who didn’t listen to his dad. He decided he wanted to leave his dad so he asked for all the money that belonged to him and he left. When the son got far away, he began to do bad things in bad places with bad people. Soon he had spent all his money and had nothing to eat and no where to go but back home to his father. He went home and told his dad that he was sorry for all the bad things he had done. His dad was glad he came home; he forgave him for everything.

Ephesians 6:1-2 God tells children to obey their parents and to honor their father and mother. This will please God and it will please your dad. Obeying your parents means doing what they say to do. Honoring your parents means to have respect for them – like when your dad is talking, be quiet until he has finished – or when your dad says something, don’t argue with him. Obeying and honoring your parents will please your dad and it will please God.

Philippians 2:13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him. Jesus did always those things that pleased His Father. How can we always do those things that please God and our dad? The Bible says that God will work in us to do those things that please Him. Sometimes when you find it hard to do the things that please God or your dad, remember that God promises to help you do the right things if you ask Him.

Prayer: God, thank you for my dad. Help me to listen to him and obey.
Thank you that my dad takes care of me. God, please take care of my dad and help him with all the things he has to do.

Suggested Activities:

Make a poster for the fridge with one of the Bible verse and a picture of dad and pictures of some things he does.
Play ‘Follow the Leader’ with dad being the leader.
Play ‘Dad Says’ like ‘Simon Says’.
Show things that belong to dad. Cover the items, sneak one item away, and let child guess what is missing.
Make hand prints on a plaque for dad.
Greet Dad with hugs and kisses at the door when he comes home from work.
Make a thank you card for dad. List, draw, or find pictures of things dad does and thank him for doing them.
Color one of these pages from Ministry-to-Children.com
Bake cookies for Dad in shapes of things he uses such as a car, tie, hat, ball, tools, etc.
Talk about ways to make a ‘Glad Dad’
1. come when he calls
2. listen when he talks
3. hear and obey his instructions

Songs:

God Made My Daddy (listen)

(lyrics) God made my daddy; he helps me do so many things.
I love my daddy; he takes care of me
or
God is my Father; He helps me do so many things.
I love my Father; He takes care of me.”

Glad for Dad (listen)
(lyrics)I’m glad today; I’m glad today.
For my Dad, I’m glad today.
God, please help me make my Dad glad

Books
We’re Very Good Friends, My Father and I
The Prodigal Son (Arch Books)
Just Me and My Dad (Little Critter)

If your child does not have an earthly father, emphasize his relationship with his Heavenly Father and share Psalm 68:5 “A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation”

(This post is one of the 52 lessons in my book, Here a Little, There a Little)