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Even though, President Obama didn’t grow up with his father…he turned out to be a good father. And I think he is a great example of fathers that break the cycle of abandoning their children. The thing is, it’s easy to forget that President Obama experienced the pain of not knowing his dad when we see him being the leader of the free world.

In his book, Dreams of My Father, the POTUS explores the loss of his father and his search for identity. Given that we’re celebrating Father’s Day, I thought it would be good to celebrate all the dads that are doing things right despite their personal experiences…including the First Dad.

Here’s five lessons on fatherhood from President Obama.

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The Past Doesn’t Have to Dictate the Future

President Obama describes his father as a tragic figure. Barack Obama Sr. was born in Kenya, graduated from Harvard but became an alcoholic, was abusive to several women and died in a car wreck.

In his book, the POTUS explains that his mother and her family shielded him from the negative qualities of his father. The stories they told of Barack Obama Sr. where always of hope, honesty and being brave.

Cycles don’t have to be repeated. Each of us has a choice on the path we choose. And I think Barack Obama Sr.’s good qualities are what we see in the First Dad.