Kiddipedia
You hear it so many times… ‘you wait, it will be the best thing you’ve ever experienced’ and although it was never a case of not believing it, I have to admit I didn’t think they would be this right. Being a Dad really is the best experience of my life.
When asked what the best thing is about being a dad, I struggle to think of just one thing. It is a really hard question to answer as there are so many reasons why I love it. I honestly didn’t know that you could love something or someone that much. It’s that feeling that this person is a part of you and you are such an important part of their life. I am literally mesmerised as I see my girls change before my very eyes… the first word, the first steps, the run and hug when you walk in the door and the hours of laughter as they say the most hilariously cute things you could imagine and you have no idea where they picked it up from. I can’t get enough of it.
All of these beautiful things I had dreamed of have come true, only better. But becoming a dad has created a change in me that I didn’t expect. Since becoming a Dad, I have completely changed my perspective on life. As a highly ambitious and driven individual I am one to bury myself in work and have difficulty switching off or pulling back but since little Willow came along this has changed. My outlook and perspective on what is truly important has changed. I still work hard but it is now a much more balanced approach, like leaving the office to be home for bath and story time or heading in late to have a park play date. I love that I can do this without feeling guilty because I’ve realised that when I do this the world doesn’t end and in fact the clarity it provides makes me better for it.
I have also found that since becoming a Dad, whether it be to Eve or Willow and Charlie when she gets older, I am a much more conscious role model. I am continually reflecting on my words and actions and how they are likely to interpreted and imitated. I truly believe that kids are sponges and you cannot be a good father through just advice if you don’t live it yourself and practice what you preach.
So, the answer I give when asked ‘what is the greatest experience so far since becoming a Dad?’ is everything. I love it all. The joy it brings and the purpose and perspective it provides are the reason people say it is the best job in the world, because it is.
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