Kiddipedia
Recently, life changed forever, I became a Dad. This is what I have always dreamt of, yet nothing can prepare you for the adjustments that come with it.
During Caity’s pregnancy I began to seek support for dad’s, at first I couldn’t find anything and then luckily for me I found Dad’s Group Inc. I have found them to be very helpful, I now have somewhere I can find relevant information and groups of new dads to connect with.
I remember in the first 3 weeks after William was born people asked me “has your perspective on life changed?” At that point I knew it had, I just didn’t know what it was yet!
Ever since I found out I was going to be a dad, I wondered what I could do to be a strong positive influence on my son. Show him loads of love, play and interact with him every day, teach him the importance of having an open mind, never raise my voice at him and so on.
Living a healthy lifestyle was a major influence I wanted to pass on to William. Keeping fit, eating healthy, do everything you enjoy and of course to be mindful of what you put into your body.
The day he turned a month old, I got my realisation on my perspective on how life has changed. Alcohol has always been a big part of my family’s lifestyle. It’s rare for alcohol to not be involved with catch ups with family and friends, in fact sometimes I have wondered if we could hang out without it.
I would’ve been only about 14 years old when I had my first drunken night at a party. I look back to that now, it is scary to me now as I realise how young I was to do something that can be so damaging. The idea of our son drinking alcohol at that age scares the shit out of me.
The night before William turned one month old, my wife and her family had attended her nanas funeral earlier that day. That night along with another family member I polished off 6 beers and a bottle of scotch.
I don’t know how but strangely I was able to function well enough to be able to help Caity throughout the night. Even still, the next morning, all day and even as I write this blog I feel extremely disappointed in myself. I felt like I let my wife and son down and it made me feel very guilty.
“Is this how you want to live your life and raise your son?” I asked myself.
Luckily for me, Caity was so great by being honest with me about how she feels about my level of drinking. This reiterated to me that I needed to change my ways. Even though I wouldn’t call myself a heavy drinker, but I believe it is still too much.
I decided I don’t want William to see alcohol as just a normal regular thing you do. I don’t want him to grow up believing that it’s the social norm.
This is how I plan to be a positive influence on my son!
This is how my perspective on life has changed!
This is how I want to be a better dad!
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Kiddipedia Welcome Dad’s Group
