by Dr. Scott Zarcinas
Okay guys, so your wife or partner is pregnant and you’re in a bit of a daze.
Fatherhood? Me? A dad?
You’re probably thinking this has come a bit sooner than you were expecting.
You might be thinking you’re not ready to be a dad.
Or, you might be thinking this is just the greatest thing that could happen.
Whatever camp you sit in, the first child is what I call ‘The Game Changer’.
Your life will never be the same again. You will never be the same again—and that’s a good thing.
Being a dad, parenting, is one of the greatest gifts of life. But sometimes it doesn’t feel that way. Sometimes it feels as if parenting is a chore, or worse, a punishment.
Especially if you don’t feel ready. You might feel as though you still want to play sport with your club. You might still want to go out and party with your friends. You might still want to work long and hard during the week.
And you might think that all of this is in jeopardy now that Little You is about to be born.
The good news is, although your first-born is The Game Changer, you can still do a lot of what you’ve done before, just a little bit differently.
Which is why it’s important to understand the New Rules, the rules every father must play by if they want to be a good father and raise a child that is confident, happy, and healthy.
So here are the New Rules by which you can be a success at being a great dad, and it all comes down to having an open and receptive parenting mindset:
- You will never be 100% ready to be a father, so don’t put pressure on yourself. You can’t know it all. You don’t know it all. You will learn as you go.
- Your job is not only to help provide the basics, like food and shelter, but to provide the more necessary and important things: love, affection, kindness, patience, care.
- You are the king in your castle, but that doesn’t mean giving orders and ruling with fear: it means treating your daughter like a princess, and treating your son like a prince.
- Your child may look like you, but they are not you: let your child be themselves, accept they are unique and different, and raise them to be true to themselves and true to their dreams.
- Always make your child feel they are wanted, needed and loved—this is the foundation of self-love and self-worth, the greatest gift you can give.
- Teach your child how to use their superpower—their imagination. Because that’s how they’ll reach the stars.
- Show your child that, despite outward appearances, Life is full of Goodness, Truth and Beauty. Show them that the key to discovering these riches is inside them, and that is where they must continue to search until they find what is already there, as them.
So, good luck dads. It is certainly a daunting time, but it is also the best of times.
Consider these New Rules and apply them whenever you can, and you’ll be a great success at being a dad (and your partner will love you for it too).
About DoctorZed
Dr. Scott Zarcinas (aka DoctorZed) is a doctor, author, and transformologist. He helps pro-active people to be happier, more confident, decisive, and effective so they can activate their fullest potential and become the person they are capable of being. He specialises in helping work-at-home fathers build their self-esteem and self-belief so they have the confidence and the courage to live a life that is true to themself. DoctorZed gives regular workshops, seminars, presentations, and courses to support those who want to make a positive difference through positive action. Visit his website at www.scottzarcinas.com
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