Advice

Being a dad

Being a dad is not easy nor is it easy being a mom. I don’t have any experience of being a mom because I am a male. Being a dad is something I don’t take lightly. I have young children as I am writing this and they are a ball of energy that keeps you on your toes. I love my sons and I let them know it. As a father I think it becomes critical nowadays to show more than ever that you love a child. I know that is a new thing for most people since most of our fathers were taught to be the strong ones and emotion is a sign of weakness. That trait falls back to us modern day fathers.

You have to remember our fathers were in the generation that their fathers spent back breaking hours at work and thought them to be tough because the world would eat you alive. Our generation is a bit different because we come to realize life is hard but that doesn’t mean you have to be an emotionless person.

My sons are a blast to be around and when we spend time together, just guy time, if we are not watching TV, I am reading to them, I am asking the oldest to tell me about his day, teaching them new words, and I am lucky because my oldest son is already into football and baseball. If you must ask, he is a Houston fan. He likes UH (University of Houston) for college football, Texans for NFL, and Astros for baseball. He has a strong connection to the Astros because he was born the year the Astros won the World Series for the first time ever.

I plan to put my sons in things that will help them grow as a person. My wife and I have decided we are going to teach them the value of starting something until it finishes. Example is if my sons want to start baseball and through the season, they decide they do not want to do it anymore, we will tell them they have to at least play until the end of the season then they could stop.

Being a dad has come with its challenges because I have to learn the art of patience. When my oldest son throws a tantrum because he can’t communicate with his words, I take him to a safe area, let him cool down, and then we talk about how he feels. I have noticed it has helped with losing my cool because he is not listening and I have noticed he responds better in the future. In addition, I keep telling him to use his words to the best of his abilities to discuss his feelings, that way he could learn to communicate.

Being a dad is a quest that is not over but that unfinished quest is the path I am willing to take. My fellow travelers on this journey, please let me know how you feel about being a dad and remember to find your quest and inspire greatness to achieve greatness.