Being a great dad isn’t always easy but it doesn’t have to always be hard. Our resident father of 3, Terrance Gaines, a.k.a. Brotha Tech, has 8 practical and inspiring tips for dads who want to get it right. Check out this list and share it with all the awesome dads in your life.
Brush Your Shoulders Off.
Something that used to irk me as a new-ish parent is all the people who come up to me and ask “Are you getting any sleep?” OF COURSE I’M NOT. I have to remember that there are way more important things to worry about as a father than silly questions, so I fake smile and keep it moving.
Enjoy Every Moment.
As a new-ish father, I look at my two other kids and can’t remember them as babies, so I try to enjoy every moment with a newborn, because before you know it, they will be bothering you to death when the home WiFi goes down.
Take that extra “L”.
It’s probably easy to say “let’s divide everything down the middle and share all the duties”. What fathers sometimes don’t realize there are things that mothers deal with that we simply can’t relate to. So even though it’s “her turn” to stay up with the baby, it’s okay if you step in and take over every once in a while.
Get Your Self-Care In.
It’s easy to get into that daily grind and forget that self-care is important for Dads too. So when you get a chance, even if that chance is super small, sneak in that 30 minutes of Xbox.
Send Mama Some Love.
As new mothers, with a baby stuck to their boob, hair all over the place, crusty eyes, and a never-ending wardrobe of baggy pajamas, that sometimes double as errand clothes, they may not feel all at desirable. It’s up to you to remind her why (and how) y’all had the baby in the first place.
Go with the Flow.
Everybody who claims to be a parent will try to drop a laundry list of things you need to do before, during and after the baby arrives. Sure, there are some essentials, but with babies you have to learn them just like they are learning you. So don’t get bent out of shape if that feeding/changing/sleeping schedule isn’t followed to a tee.
Tribe Up.
It’s hard for me to ask for help, so when we had our first child, I was hell bent on letting the world know “I got this”. But as I’ve grown, I’ve learned that it’s okay to be vulnerable and admit that you need help. So take the time to build up a strong support network of people who are more than willing to pitch in and take a load off your shoulders when it gets to be too much. The BEST way to do that is to be that support system for somebody else. “Do unto others…”
Do You, Bro.
It’s easy to always put the baby first. But you have to make sure you don’t lose yourself in the process of just being “Daddy”. It will be hard at first, but make sure you simply grow into adding the role of father to your arsenal, versus letting fatherhood completely change who you are.
Happy Father’s Day!
Ariel says
Happy Father’s Day to all the amazing and deserving dads out there!