Are you already fantasizing about having children together? Once you get to that place in your relationship, you should also try to determine what kind of a father he’s going to make, and check out if he already has good parenting skills.
Learn the most important signs he’ll be a good father and see if they apply to your significant other. Even if your guy doesn’t fit all the criteria for an absolutely awesome dad right now, that doesn’t mean he can’t step up later. Here are the small things that show you he’ll be a great dad.
1. He Doesn’t Snap Under Pressure
Being able to control his temper is one of the most important skills a father can possess, at least for the first few years. If your man knows how to stay calm in tense situations, he’ll probably make a great father. Staying calm when your children are destroying your things and pushing all your buttons is a great parenting skill, and more often than not it comes naturally.
2. He’s a Good Listener
When you’re looking for the signs he’ll be a good father, pay attention to his listening skills. Being able to communicate and engage even when he’s very uninterested in the subject is a great thing for a dad, since that’s what a huge part of communicating with children feels like. If he’s a good listener he’ll be able to have a good relationship with kids.
See also: How to Deal with Dating a Single Father
3. He Can Go With the Flow
If he’s not adaptable, he might have a hard time as a dad, when kids often make you change plans and organize everything in your life around them. When your guy handles the unpredictable well, without getting angry or shutting down, he’s ready for children.
4. He Doesn’t Get Grossed Out
Having a pet is always a good sign, since this means he has the patience to clean up vomit, pee and poop. Not getting grossed out has a special place among the signs he’ll be a good father. It might not be a skill he needs for life, but it comes in handy for the first years of your kid’s life. A partner who’s not squeamish and always keeps his cool is always great to have around, but it becomes especially important when small children are involved.
5. He Knows How to Cheer You Up
Noticing when you’re in a funk and working to get you out of it is another desirable trait in a future father. When he’s in touch with his intuition and knows when you need attention, he’ll be able to handle children better than most. If he can make an effort to put a smile on your face when you’re down, he’ll certainly do the same for his kids.
6. He’s Has Close Friends, Not Just Drinking Buddies
The way a man interacts with his friends can also point you towards one of the signs he’ll be a good father. If he keeps his relationships superficial, he might be missing out on a lot of emotional experience that comes in handy as a parent. But if he talks with his friends just as easily about their feelings as he does about football, he’s a keeper.
7. He Can Make Sacrifices For the People He Loves
Paying attention to how he acts around his family is always important. If your man can make sacrifices for you, or for other people he really loves, that’s a great sign about his potential as a future dad.
More: How to Help Him Overcome His Fear of Commitment
8. He Can Talk About His Feelings
The strong silent type doesn’t usually make a good dad, since children might suffer from being kept at bay emotionally. That’s why one of the most important signs he’ll be a good father is the fact that he can talk about his feelings. If he tries to keep it all in, that’s something that he might need to work on before becoming a dad.
9. He’s Aware of His Father’s Mistakes
Wanting to be a better parent than your own is very important. Of course, people who completely emulate the parenting style they experienced can also be great parents, but a willingness to improve upon your own upbringing can be very useful.
10. He Really Wants It
Many guys end up loving fatherhood once it happens without actually thinking about it before. But the fact that he really wants it is definitely one of the signs he’ll be a good father. If he know how big a sacrifice children require and is still giddy about becoming a dad, his future kids are pretty lucky, and so are you.
