Fatherhood Isn’t For You

I always love when my husband has time to write a quick article to help me while I am out of town. He is the best and a cutie!!!! Today he shares his thoughts of being a father and I know you will just love it! Take it away Tys….

About a year ago I was cruising facebook and I came across an article that I am sure many of you read as well. It was an article by Seth Adam Smith entitled “Marriage isn’t for you.”

In the article Smith talks about the struggles he had in the beginning of his marriage. He took his struggles to his father for advice and his father told him that marriage was not about him. If he wanted to succeed in his marriage, he needed to focus on his spouse and not on himself.

I grew a lot from reading that article and thank him for writing it. I think the message from it can be applied to many different areas of all of our lives. One area in particular that I’d like to focus on today is fatherhood. It’s been a year and some change since I became a dad to my sweet little one year old daughter.

I have grown a lot during that time. Through everything from the 3 am Bubble Guppie episodes during teething season to hearing my first heart stopping “da-da” I have loved every minute of it. The greatest lesson I have taken away from it all is that, like marriage, fatherhood isn’t for me. It really isn’t.

We live in a world today where being a dad is largely thought to be a burden and children in general are seen as “baggage” (to quote a previous bachelorette episode). So many men fail to see the opportunity that awaits them in not only being a biological parent but to take things several steps further and actually be a dad.

I grew up in a home where my father was a big part of my life. He set his standards high and showed me what it would take to one day be an influence for good in the eyes of my children. I always felt like my dad was always looking out for my future potential and was not distracted with daily obligations that would pull him away from our family. Those obligations were important and provided for our family but I always knew that my dad’s job was not his main priority in life. We were.

Now that I am a father I know this is something that I must do for my children. From the moment I held my daughter I knew that anything I did from that point forward was to create a better future for her and her future siblings. I knew that I had found a new kind of love that I had not experienced before.

I learned that day and continue to realize that this love is one that I want to be filled with memories of potty training, math homework, and dance performances. I want my kids to see through my actions that I know that being a dad is so much more than just having kids, it’s being there for them no matter what.

As you celebrate Father’s Day this and every year to come, remember that being a father is not about you. Your children are the future and without your unconditional love and undivided attention you may just miss what life is really all about. Spend time with them. Don’t let a single first word or first date pass you by.

Don’t forget to share this with a Father you know this father’s Day!  –

Danielle is the owner of Today's the Best Day. She strives to provide creative and uplifting content in order to enrich the parenting experience for women everywhere. Danielle hopes to help you and your family to make every day the best day!

June 13, 2014 by Danielle Davis | 1 Comment