I recently was cleaning my home office and found some lists of goals I had made right before I became a father nearly eight years ago. I often make such lists and then forget where they went. How well have I succeeded at achieving my goals (even though I didn't remember what they were until I found them the other day)?

FATHERHOOD GOALS
1. Be consistent. I feel like I've done a pretty good job at this most of the time.
2. Have one-on-one time with each child. This has been harder to do than I thought. Maybe it's because we ended up with four kids.
3. Strict discipline; develop a system of consequences. I have done this pretty well.
4. Always make them clean up their own toys. It's like watching paint dry, but they get it

done.
5. Make children do chores. The two oldest clear the table, fold laundry and clean up their room pretty well.
6. No allowances! Haven't started this yet, so we'll see.
7. Strictly monitor TV and movies; no cable. I don't let them watch a lot of TV, but I did break down and get cable; couldn't live without ESPN anymore.
8. Read to them often. I could do better at this. Bedtime is about the only time I read to them now, although our oldest does read to her younger siblings a lot.

9. Teach them to respect all people. Always a work-in-progress, but I think it's going well.
10. Limit toys; a wooden spoon and a cardboard box can be just as much fun. Compared to most of their friends...mission accomplished!
11. Take them places. We usually go somewhere every day, but I think I could do a better job of finding more fun places to go for them (Home Depot is not fun for them for some reason).

12. Go out with my wife at least once a month. Getting better at this now that our youngest is 19 months.
13. Take care of child by myself. Uh, yeah, got this one handled.
14. Always teach them. I hope to do more.
15. Make sure they have enough to do (boredom breeds troublemakers). Some days are better than others.

Overall, I'd say I'm doing quite well. I'd give myself a B.

Here's a list of goals I came up with for what I thought a person could accomplish as an at-home parent:

THINGS A HOUSE PARENT CAN DO
1. Raise own children. Doing that.
2. Provide children with more stable home environment. Yep.
3. More vacation because working parent doesn't have to take off for doctor's appointments, house repairs, etc. I feel this has been the case for us.
4. More time for exercise. I'm trying, but there's not as much time available as I had imagined.

5. Visit grandparents once a month. What was I thinking? My folks are a five-hour drive away now and my wife’s are about an hour away. And the two younger ones can barely make it to the grocery store without screaming to get out!
6. Community involvement. Linoma Dads, on two PTO committees, doing this blog… starting to get this one covered.
7. Politics. Helping a candidate is a type of community involvement I could do, but is there anybody worthy out there anymore?
8. Start a business. What was I smokin'?!
9. Play all day. Occasionally we do, but mostly we can't; without clean clothes and food we'd kinda be miserable.
10. Keep house clean. Yeah, right!

My goals for being a "House Parent" were a little far-fetched perhaps, but overall I don't think I've missed the mark too far. Let's say B-.

Wonder what my next set of goals is? Guess I'll find out when I have the time to clean up again in about eight years.

Al Watts is the vice-president of Daddyshome, Inc. – The National At-Home Dad Network and an at-home dad of four children living in west Omaha.