Full House: 10 Best Parenting Lessons Bob Saget’s Danny Tanner Taught Us

There are many legendary fathers in the history of television, especially where sitcoms are concerned. But it would be hard to find a father who serves as a better parenting role model than Danny Tanner (Bob Saget), the lovable patriarch of Full House‘s Tanner family.

Danny is always there for his children, supporting and nurturing them to the best of his ability at every chance he gets. He puts his daughters above everything else in the world, proving to be a great role model not just for his daughters, but for viewers in need of parenting lessons, too.

Respect Your Children’s Boundaries, But Also Do Whatever It Takes To Help

To put it simply, Danny can be a bit neurotic at times. He’s known to have obsessive tendencies, especially where cleanliness is concerned, but he is also prone to want to know everything he can about what is going on in his children’s lives.

This leads him to overstep on a few occasions, such as when he reads a private note DJ is hiding. But for the most part, Danny respects his children’s boundaries as much as any parent should, while also offering his help whenever they are ready to ask for it.

It’s Important To Remember You Were A Kid Once, Too

Danny is definitely one of the best dads in sitcom history, but a big part of what makes him such a great dad is his ability to relate directly to what his children are going through. Danny never becomes overwhelmingly stern or detached, even though he is an adult with many responsibilities.

Instead, he constantly remains in touch with his inner child, embracing his childlike spirit and relating things he went through as a kid to whatever his daughters are going through whenever the opportunity arises.

Let Your Children Have Their Own Responsibilities

The Tanner household is pretty full of extended family members, hence the “full” in the series’ title. Even though there are many adults living in the house, Danny makes sure to give every child in the house their fair share of responsibilities, too.

Whether through assignments on the chore chart and calendars or through one-on-one instruction like when he teaches Michelle how to mop, Danny makes sure that every member of the family, even the youngest, has a role to play in the house.

Help Your Children Resolve Conflict On Their Own Terms

With three girls growing up under one roof, and with two of them often sharing one bedroom, it’s only natural that there are many conflicts in the Tanner household. DJ and Stephanie in particular have had many difficult conflicts over the years, starting as early as Full House‘s pilot episode.

Danny is always willing to play the mediator role in their conflicts, but as they get older, he helps them learn how to resolve things on their own terms and always reminds them to never go to bed angry.

It’s Important To Make Time For Yourself, Too

As a single father, Danny has a tough job handling all three girls on his own. Even with the help of Jesse and Joey, he still finds himself having to parent all three girls without Pam to help him. This leads to the girls relying on him more than any other parental figure in the series and leads to Danny’s own needs often taking a backseat.

But over time, Danny learns how to find a balance between his role as a father and his own need for personal time, whether in his dating life, social life, work life, or just some quiet cleaning time.

There’s Nothing That A Hug Can’t Help

Over the course of 8 seasons, there are many heartwarming scenes in Full House, particularly between Danny and his three girls. Whenever the girls are having a hard time, Danny does whatever he can to help them through it with his words of comfort and advice.

But more than anything, Danny shows that there is no issue that a hug can’t help. He’s a self-described “lean, mean hugging machine,” and his willingness to show affection to his girls is something worth emulating.

Always Let Your Children Know How Valuable They Are

All three Tanner girls undergo periods of uncertainty about themselves, as many girls do in their youth and adolescent years. DJ often feels not pretty enough or too chubby. Stephanie worries about students making fun of her for her glasses or her broken nose. Michelle faces bullying for being a girl who wants to take part in “boy activities.”

Without fail, Danny is always there to assure his daughters of just how valuable they are, just the way they are. They are perfect in his eyes, and he doesn’t hesitate to let them know this no matter the scenario.

It’s Important To Have Fun – Even If It Means Naps Count As Fun

In addition to being incredibly supportive and nurturing, Danny Tanner is just a completely fun dad, too. He plays regularly with Michelle in particular, getting involved in her bizarre adventures. He humors DJ and Stephanie’s Honeybee troop activities. He jokes around and makes so many ridiculous puns, it’s impossible to keep track of all of Danny’s best quotes in Full House.

And he has fun in bonding moments that are quieter, too, like sharing snacks or taking joint naps. At the end of the day, Danny is just a great father, and he’s a fun one, even if he embarrasses his daughters sometimes, too.

It’s Okay To Get Tough Sometimes

Full House is definitely known for its cheesy depiction of family relationships, where conflicts are easily resolved with moving speeches and stirring music. But multiple times throughout the series, Danny shows that it’s okay to get tough with your children when they misbehave, even when it’s difficult.

Especially with little Michelle, who acts out the most of the Tanner children as she grows from the perfect little baby of the family to an older kid, Danny is willing to gently lay down the law to make sure she grows up the way she should.

Always Be Emotionally Available To Help Your Children With Their Feelings

The Tanner family has endured a lot when Full House begins, following the loss of Pam prior to the series. Something that made the series work from the very beginning was the emotional connection between Danny and his girls, as evidenced in the moving scene in the Tanner kitchen when he openly discusses his feelings of grief and confusion with the girls.

This willingness to be vulnerable and open with the girls continues throughout the series, such as when Stephanie experiences a period of separation anxiety after an earthquake, or when Papouli Katsopolis unexpectedly passes away. Danny is always willing to help his girls sort through their emotions, no matter how hard they might be.

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