He saved me,” said thirteen-year-old Gracie Johnson, after her parents, sister, and two cousins were tragically killed in a rock slide. She was speaking about her dad, Dwayne Johnson. The family had gone for a hike along the Agnes Vaille Falls trail in Buena Vista, Colorado. Recent rainfall had made areas of the mountains unstable.
As they were walking, one witness described what sounded like loud thunder cracking and boulders the size of cars coming down the mountain as the Johnson family stood helplessly in their devastating path. In an act of heroism, Dwayne dove on top of Gracie as a shield, saving her life and surrendering his own.
In situations like that you have no time to think, instinct takes over. Dwayne Johnson’s natural instinct was that of a loving father. Loving fathers are self-sacrificing and protect their children. Here are 10 more things a loving father does for his children.
1. Loving fathers… love their children’s mother
Love your wife without reservation – you can’t do much more for your kids than that. If you are divorced, treat your children’s mother with respect, even if it is not reciprocated. Never return disgrace with disgrace.
2. Love them unconditionally
Make sure that your children know you love them no matter what. Don’t confuse this with permissiveness. Unconditional love does nothing to encourage the wrong kind of behavior. In fact, kids who are secure in their father’s love tend to act out less, not more.
3. Grow up
We’re talking about us here, not the kids. Children don’t want another buddy; they want a dad. They want someone who thinks things through, makes tough decisions, and engages life with responsibility. Someone they can count on.
