Brilliant dad feature week 16
This week our brilliant dad feature is Jeremy from the USA. He is married with two children and blogs at Thirsty Daddy. Thank you Jeremy for taking part!
1. Have you always wanted to be a dad?
I went from assuming I would one day be a dad to resigning myself that I probably wouldn’t, to really wanting a child of my own over a 15 yr period. Being a step-dad is just as rewarding and challenging an experience, so I would have been perfectly happy if it never happened, but its been pretty cool being part of the process right from the beginning.
2. How did you feel when your children were born?
I felt relieved when my daughter was born. Fathers don’t have the same sense of bonding that mothers do over the course of a pregnancy. I was eager to get on with the “baby raising”.
3.What have been the most rewarding experiences as a dad so far?
The most rewarding thing to me has been watching her continued mental and emotional development.
The way she perceives and processes things fascinates me. It’s like my own little sociology experiment where the end result is supposed to be a good hearted, well adjusted person. My step-daughter switching schools, raising her grades, and learning how to process her emotions better has made me very proud also.
It seems that the toddler is a never ending source of amusement. One of my favorite stories that I never figured out how to get into the blog occurred at a grocery store when she was about two. I had her buckled into a plastic race car that attached to the front of a shopping cart and had stopped at one of those machines that takes your loose change and gives you store credit. Somehow in a matter of seconds the little Houdini had managed to get herself free, climb on board the store’s motorized wheelchair and drive it straight into a DVD machine. I didn’t find it very funny at the time, but there was no damage to her or to anything in the store, so I can laugh now. I think the funniest part is trying to imagine what my face must have looked like.
I want my kids to make it to 30 years old having made only half the mistakes I did by that point. If they do that, the health and happiness will come with it.
4. What have been some of the funniest moments to have happened to you as a dad?
It seems that the toddler is a never ending source of amusement. One of my favorite stories that I never figured out how to get into the blog occurred at a grocery store when she was about two. I had her buckled into a plastic race car that attached to the front of a shopping cart and had stopped at one of those machines that takes your loose change and gives you store credit. Somehow in a matter of seconds the little Houdini had managed to get herself free, climb on board the store’s motorized wheelchair and drive it straight into a DVD machine. I didn’t find it very funny at the time, but there was no damage to her or to anything in the store, so I can laugh now. I think the funniest part is trying to imagine what my face must have looked like.
5. Have there been any situations with your children that you found difficult to cope with?
The hardest times with the little came during teething. She was a very healthy baby but ran a high fever every time she got a new tooth. She was absolutely miserable and there was so little I could do for her. The teenagers mood swings can be difficult to deal with. Its hard to know when to try and lift her spirits and when to stay the hell away. I’m not looking forward to going through this again in twelve years.
6. What are your dreams and hopes for your children?
I want my kids to make it to 30 years old having made only half the mistakes I did by that point. If they do that, the health and happiness will come with it.
1 Comments
Mrs Tubbs
June 12, 2015 at 8:57 pm
Most parent's share Thirsty Daddy's dream! I so hope my daughter doesn't make the same mistakes I did!