Fatherhood
“Daddy, can I have ice cream?”, my 4 year old daughter asked, at ten in the morning while in the checkout line at Costco.
“Hmmmm, I guess so”, I replied. She was home from school because of a fever the previous day, so I figured we could both use the treat.
“HOORAY! You’re the best daddy ever!!”, she shouted as she hugged me in the middle of the store.
While I’m not sure that most people would award me the “Best Daddy Ever” trophy after feeding my child an ice cream cone at ten in the morning, it certainly made me feel special. Plus, no one else knew why she screamed that, so I just pretended that I bought her a pony or something. The point here is that as each day goes by, I get a greater sense of how lucky I am to call myself a father to these two amazing kids.
There are so many times in the day that I catch myself awestruck with their many quirks and qualities. Even the smallest things can strike me in a way I hadn’t anticipated. Hearing my daughter sing along to a song when she thinks no one else is around, knowing that if she saw me she would surely stop. Watching my son bond with his new hockey teammates in a setting that would make most adults cringe with fear.
Life can be friggin’ hard, man. You have to worry about money, time, health and everything else that being an adult and parent brings. Being a father is the thing that saves me from my own mind and lets me focus on the fact that there are two little people that need me to be a man for them so they can grow into their full potential. How can you think about financial struggles when your daughter wants to shake, shake, shake, shake, shake it off, shake it off? Who has time to beat themselves up over skipping a workout when you and your son are engaged in an epic Pokemon battle?! Not me.
Any time I lose focus on what’s important in life, my kids are always there to remind me with open arms, and for that I feel extremely lucky.
It’s amazing how little moments like that can change out perspective. We need to remember those sweet times during the tough times.
I am on the tail end of my ten week long paternity leave. I have had the best time. I can’t believe how fun we’ve had: hiking, swimming, skating, and loads of play groups.
Tonight my daughter threw up all over in her crib. Instead of enjoying my cold beer on the coffee table, I was in the bathroom with vomit on me. And yet, I’ve had an amazing day being a father and wouldn’t trade it for a thing. Even the lows make being a father worth it.
Awww…. thanks for that, Chris. What a great perspective – one that I need to remember when my kids are melting down or it’s been a rough day. You are so inspiring – love it!! Keep doing what you’re doing, because it’s FAB!!
Yeeeup! I’ll have to agree with ya 10,000% on that one Chris.
Being a dad is pretty awesome!
Sure – there are “those” days when you wonder what happened to your precious angels and how they can act like devil children….but with all things – you take the good with the bad.
Especially at the younger ages between 1-4 – those are some awesome years where they are still so cute, they are learning new things, and you just want to play with them all day.
Chris, so glad to have stopped in and read some of your blog posts today. As a father of a seven year old boy (also playing IP hockey) and an almost three year old girl, I feel as though I could have written some of your posts myself. Fatherhood is a wild ride: unbridled joy, fear, worry, and heart swelling love. I think that sometimes we forget, as fathers, that we are not on the ride alone. I’m looking forward to reading more.