Most dads who care about this sort of thing will agree that being consistent as a Father is a remarkably challenging thing to do. Sprinkle in the fact that grace should always be the mitigating factor, sometimes a dad feels like a yo-yo when dealing with his children. “Sometimes it’s a ‘yes’ and sometimes it’s a ‘no’ ” and to a child it may appear that it all depends upon what mood Dad is in. Unfortunately, mood sometimes plays a part, but even the most even-keeled dad may feel it challenging to make the right decision every time.

Taking a moment to weigh the request from my children for me is an effective way to reduce inconsistency in my response. In addition, removing prejudice to the best of my ability prevents coloring my decision because it came from Child A rather than from Child B. Don’t misunderstand, a child’s history and character, plays a part in the decision, however, a grace-filled response requires me to think carefully about all factors – not just past behavior.

Nevertheless, most dads will stumble at times with consistency. Don’t “beat yourself up”! Get up and keep trying – your children are worth all of your effort, and more!