Brilliant dad feature. Week 49
This weeks Brilliant Dad Feature is Lewis, who blogs at Dad Who Blogs. Lewis live in Leeds, West Yorkshire with his wife of over 10 years and their two boys. They also have a dog called Penny.
Lewis has been blogging for nearly five years. He started it as a way to document his feelings and experiences from a male point of view as those were pretty scarce. His boys are four and three years old and are growing far too fast!
1. Have you always wanted to be a dad?
We got married when I was in my early twenties. If I had my way we would have had kids then. Instead my wife wanted us to travel the world and do other things you can’t do once you have kids. As is often the case, she was right and having kids later in life was a perfect time. (For us anyway).
2. How did you feel when your children were born?
The easy answer is amazing, I think everybody that becomes a parent is overjoyed. One surprising feeling I had when my children was born was the love and pride I had for my wife. I always thought she was amazing but when she gave birth to our two children my love grew everytime.
3. What have been your most rewarding experiences so far as a Dad?
Parenting is hard work and there is no manual to tell you if something is right or wrong, you just have to go with what feels right, but when you see these little human beings you have helped shape into good, polite little people it feels rewarding and you know you have done a good job.
4. What are some of funniest moments to have happened to you as a dad?
I’ve had the usual. Been wee’d on. Felt something warm on my leg where my child was sat, only to lift them up and find they’ve left me a ‘gift’.
The other morning I was awoken in the early hours by the sound of a Thomas the Tank engine book with sounds being played with. When I went into the boys room to find the culprit, I instead found both boys laying quietly.
When I saw our youngest laying awake I thought I must have imagined the sounds and in fact woken him up. I went over to rearrange his cover, kiss his forehead and tell him to go back to sleep when I had the urge/instinct to place my hand under his pillow. There, hidden sneakily was the very book I had heard earlier. The little man had heard me coming and hidden the evidence. Sneaky!
When I saw our youngest laying awake I thought I must have imagined the sounds and in fact woken him up. I went over to rearrange his cover, kiss his forehead and tell him to go back to sleep when I had the urge/instinct to place my hand under his pillow. There, hidden sneakily was the very book I had heard earlier. The little man had heard me coming and hidden the evidence. Sneaky!
5. Have there been any situations with your children that you have found difficult to cope with?
The only thing I can really think of was the first time my wife went out for the evening and I had to do the bedtime routine alone. I had a 19 month old to get ready and a baby to feed and get to sleep. I had a plan and an order of things to do in my head but all that went out of the window when while just as the little one was nodding off he was woken by big brother, who had just finished on the potty and was shouting at the top of his voice for me. It seemed like a jigsaw where all the pieces didn’t go together but I managed it, they both went to sleep well and the wife had a great night out with friends so everyone was happy. It was difficult but I just had to stay calm, take a deep breath and run with it.
6. What are your dreams and hopes for your children?
Happiness with who they are. It’s cliche but if my kids are happy then I’m happy. If they are good people and treat people with respect and work hard I don’t think I could ask anything more of them.
