Brilliant dad feature week 71
This week our brilliant feature is Matthew who, as he says lives ‘up north’ in England with Jo and his daughter Effy.
He turned 30 last year and started his blog Dad Up North shortly after Effy was born. His daughter is now eight months old and is contributing to his ever increasing grey hair. Matthew says becoming a dad for the first time has been an amazing experience. His blog isn’t a place to get expert parent advice, the truth is, he has acquired most of his knowledge and skills from google, his mam and Family Guy.
Thank you to Matthew for taking part.
1. Have you always wanted to be a dad?
Yes absolutely, I have always said I wanted children before I turned 30, left it late, but Effy was born 3 months before my 30th birthday.
2. How did you feel when your children were born?
Exhausted, its was a pretty horrendous 27 hour labour. It wasn’t until I went home afterwards before heading back to the hospital that reality hit home. Everything was so frantic that I needed some calm to actually process what had just happened. Oddly it was when I was in the shower, I felt an overwhelming sense of pride and joy.
3. What have been your most rewarding experiences so far as a Dad?
Might sound odd, but I really love just watching her. She’s only 8 months, but its crazy how quickly she has grown and developed. She seems to learn a new skill, noise or movement every day. It’s absolutely fascinating to watch.
4. What are some of funniest moments to have happened to you as a dad?
We’ve had some pretty horrific poo incidents, which in hindsight are actually funny. I wrote after the first few months that a “poo in the bath is a harrowing experience” and at the time it truly is, but we laugh about it now. It will most definitely be a story which is recited on her 18th birthday.
5. Have there been any situations with your children that you have found difficult to cope with?
The lack of sleep is an absolute killer. I wrote in my very first blog post that: “Lack of sleep doesn’t kill you, but it certainly turns me into a t**t.” This is still true, I’ve never been a morning person and I’ll be honest, I’ve always been quite lazy. So surviving on lack of and broken sleep, has been a real challenge. She is sleeping better now so its getting easier, but be prepared people……its tough.
6. What are your dreams and hopes for your children?
I want a lot of things for Effy but above the standard; healthy and happy. I want her to be confident, in both herself and her ability to make the right choices. I think young girls have it really tough these days. Social media is an amazing tool, but it also puts a lot of pressure of young people, to act, look and be, a certain type of person. I want Effy to make choices based on what she’s comfortable with and not on external influences.
