I’m going to be a dad in February. What should I know?

I’m 38 years old, and about to be a new dad. I’ve got no experience with kids whatsover. No nieces or nephews, I don’t work around children, and until very recently, most of my friends did not have children. (In fact, most still do not, but the number who do is growing.) It’s all new to me. 

So: If you were going to give me advice about parenting, what are the top three things I should know? 

Update: The comments and notes below have been fascinating. Thanks for the advice. I appreciate every word.

29 notes

Show

  1. thawley said: • replace “making poo poo” with “doing a jobby.” When they’re old enough to socialize they’ll learn that not everything their parents say should be taken at face value.
  2. thawley answered: • approach diaper changes like a NASCAR pitstop
  3. jasonbaldwin answered: I’d get a copy of Chris Mancini’s book, “Pacify Me: A Handbook For The Freaked Out New Dad”. It’s great. comedyfilmnerds.com is his site.
  4. taylordobbs said: D’oh! 1) Let him/her make the mistakes. Only way to learn. 2) Love your kid. It’s hard to mess it up if you have & show love. 3) Have fun with it. They like seeing you smile as much as you them. (I’m a son, not a dad, but that’s what I noticed)
  5. taylordobbs answered: 1)Let him/her make the mistakes. Only way to learn. 2) Love your kid. It
  6. mnik answered: 1) It changes everything. 2) Just about every cliché about parenting is true especially the ones that contradict each other. 3) It’s awesome.
  7. oliviarandomlife answered: 1) Be loving. 2) Be patient. 3) Be an example.
  8. potjie said: 1)When possible, give them experiences over stuff, it’s velcro for the mind. 2)It’s OK to be a hypocrite sometimes. Sometimes they need to do what you say, not what you do. 3)Don’t take unsolicited advice. Your kids, your life, do what feels right.
  9. newmsg answered: Listen to Harper.
  10. torrez answered: You can plan very little, if any, of it. Don’t make any big decisions beforehand. GO OUT TO DINNER AND SLEEP RIGHT NOW ALSO VIDEO GAMES.
  11. emptyage posted this

Blog comments powered by Disqus