As parents you're always told 'Kids don't come with a manual, ' and nothing could be truer. From the moment your children are born you're thrust into this rollercoaster world of nappies, tears, amazing highs and so many emotions you are exhausted.
I
was a happy-go-lucky, working man, married to a loving wife, living my best life - that was until I became a Dad for the first time.
What do you do as a first-time Dad? When do you feel like you're a Dad, and how in the world do you change a nappy? When
Rupert arrived in 2018 it turned my world upside down, as I now had to care for an extra person and navigate life as a busy Copywriter.
Seven months into my parenting journey I lost my Mum to cancer, and my world was again thrown into chaos. How do you look after a seven-month-old while also trying to plan a funeral, for someone you've lost far too early?
Then, just as I thought I had a grasp on the whole parenting situation, my wife and I thought it would be a great idea to try for a second baby, and just 18 months after Rupert was born -
Emilia arrived - two months into a global pandemic.
From then on, the trouble was doubled, and we entered a world of online team meetings (YOU'RE ON MUTE!) and one hour a day of getting out and about. Trying to limit your interaction is tough but try telling that to a family who are desperate to meet your new arrival and an 18-month-old who wants to be out all day exploring.
Six months into becoming a Dad of two, redundancy struck forcing me into a brand new direction of being a business owner, running my copywriting service and juggling day-to-day family life.
However, as
Jessica goes back to work, with the business not going as well as planned, the decision is made for me to become a stay-at-home Dad, trying to grow the business in the background.
Enter a new world of learning two children's routines, packing bags full of snacks and toys, and trying to keep your head above water. The mental pressure that comes with it is never written about in any parenting book, but the pressure of having two children look to you for everything in a day takes its toll. Plus, you get the comments from other parents that you must be 'on a day off, ' or 'Aw, good to see a Dad looking after the children.'
Throw into that the toxicity of social media, where people are posting only positives, and you see it's a recipe for disaster...or eventual triumph.
As the years go on, the children both go to pre-school and then 'big school' too leaving me, the Dad, as the primary carer instead of the stay-at-home version.
The future is scary, but this Dad has come a long way from being the taboo subject, the one that parents look to as 'looking after' their own children, or obviously on a day off from work. No, this is my 'day on.'
Dad's the Word tells the tale of a parent who went from being just that to so much more, and tips for others who may find themselves in a similar situation one day. Remember, you're never just 'looking after' your children, you are amazing, and the fact you show up every single day and try your hardest for your little ones proves that.
