Brilliant dad feature week 55
This week our brilliant dad feature is Tom. He is a top 10 UK Dad blogger and the winner of numerous awards. He is the proud dad of three children which includes two sons called Dylan and Xander, plus a daughter named Amelie. He has been blogging at Diary of the Dad for over five years and it’s moved from a hobby to a big part of his life. He says that blogging has opened up so many amazing opportunities for him and he has made some great friends as a result. He heartily recommends it.
Thank you very much to Tom for taking part!
1. Have you always wanted to be a dad?
In a word, no! It wasn’t until my mid twenties that I decided I wanted to have kids one day. I was firmly against the idea until then but am glad I changed my mind. I love being a dad and always tell people now that becoming a parent is one of the best things they’ll ever do.
A combination of feelings really. I was uncharacteristically calm each time and put my feelings on hold until I was sure that everyone was okay. With my first son, Dylan, it hit me while I was walking home in the early hours of the morning (dads were perceived as ‘visitors’ at our local hospital at the time and he was born in the middle of the night). I felt happy, relieved, dazed and upset that I wasn’t allowed to stay. With my younger son, Xander, and daughter, Amelie, it hit me a lot sooner and it was again a combination of joy and relief.
3. What have been your most rewarding experiences so far as a Dad?
I think the first time that each of them smiled has to be up there, along with being called ‘Daddy’ – or ‘Gaggy’! – for the first time. There are so many though and I never get bored of witnessing them reaching new landmarks or developing funny little traits which hint at what they’re going to be like when they’re older.
4. What are some of funniest moments to have happened to you as a dad?
One of the funniest was when Xander hadn’t been talking for long and kept running off when I was trying to change his nappy. I sighed in frustration and he finished my sentence for me. In Anglo Saxon just as Dylan walked in! Thankfully, I thought quickly and convinced both boys that the phrase in question was “fox, snake” and that we were talking about characters from The Gruffalo. Phew!
5. Have there been any situations with your children that you have found difficult to cope with?
Yes, most bedtimes! Xander (who’s nearly four) still doesn’t sleep through the night, so the sleep deprivation has gone on a lot longer than it should have done and I’m very rarely firing on all cylinders. Negotiating with him is also a challenge I have yet to master – he’s a very determined little boy who seems to enjoy testing me!
Like any parent, I hope they have long and happy lives and end up doing things they enjoy. On a selfish level, I hope they enjoy going to the pub with me when they’re old enough and that they all support Spurs too!
