Do you ever wonder what it would be like if your dad is the president of the United States? Well, wonder no more because "America's Obsessives" author Joshua Kendall gave a glimpse of how various U.S. presidents embraced fatherhood in his book, "First Dads: Parenting and Politics from George Washington to Barack Obama."
The Nurturer Vs. The Hands-Off Dad
Every nation often looks up to their president as a parental figure. But did you know a president's parenting style can influence his leadership bravura in the office? According to Time, Kendall cited two main categories about a president's parenting and leadership skills - the nurturer and the hands-off dad.
For nurturing presidential dads, Kendall named first U.S. President George Washington, James Monroe, James Garfield, Harry Truman, Gerald Ford and current President Barack Obama. But despite the praises for being doting fathers, these presidents reportedly paid importance to inclusivity.
Hands-off or "Tiger" fathers, on the other hand, are another presidential parenting category where the dads are "career-oriented go-getter" who often devotes little time to raising their children. Hard-driving ex-U.S. Presidents John Quincy Adams, Martin van Buren, Herbert Hoover, Franklin Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon are named under this category.
Despite their lack of parenting skills, these presidents took pride on making something happen, regardless of how much opposition they faced. Unfortunately, tough parents don't always make their kids feel protected, sometimes being hands-off parents ignite the possibility of alienation with children.
Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton As Hands-Off Parents Plus Other Parenting Categories
In the 2016 U.S. Presidential elections, presumptive candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton reportedly appear into the hands-off parents' category. As for other parenting categories in Kendall's book, there's also "Playful Pals" such as Teddy Roosevelt, "The Preoccupied" like Lyndon Johnson, "Double-Dealing Dads" include John Tyler and Grover Cleveland, and "The Grief-Stricken" are Calvin Coolidge and Franklin Pierce, Boston Globe notes.
Parenting Lessons From Presidential Dads
Aside from presidential parenting categories, Kendall's "First Dads" book is also filled with parenting lessons. In fact, Washington Post cites five notable advices from the former presidents of the United States.
In summary, parents should be understanding when a child fails to show interest in sports and when your child is publicly castigated, stand up them. When it comes to encouraging excellence, it would be great to give your children homework assignments while some TLC (tender loving care) is needed during illnesses and lastly, being a good sport during roughhousing can be a learning experience.
So, how did the 43 U.S. presidents help you as fathers or parents? Sound off below and follow Parent Herald for more news and updates.
