OT - Calling All Parents
Happy Friday MgoCommunity.
My wife and I welcomed our first child last week, a healthy boy, 6 lb, 11oz. He was due May 31, but he surprised us by showing up early. At 37, I am definitely savoring the experience in a way I'm not sure I was mature enough to appreciate in my 20s. I was hoping he would be born into a world where Michigan is the defending National Champs in basketball, but at least his first football game with dad will be watching Michigan/ND. If I knew how, I would post a picture. Can't believe I've been on here nearly 8 years and have no idea how to post a photo.
Also spending a lot of time at home with nothing to do. Anyone have any funny, inspiring, interesting stories about their children? Or something you want to brag about? Or any good advice? Or just anything worth reading in betweeen naps and food.
Enjoy
Congratulations Canzior!!!!
Like most have said the first year is kind of a blur. You might think its never going to end but when you look back on it......the time has gone so fast. Something you probably have never quite experienced.
I have 2 little girls (one 8 and one 6. They are absolutely my world. I will say one thing. Most girls are much more chilled than boys. My girls were awesome in the ages of 3-5 because they would play house and relaxing things while I could relax myself. Boy parents are constantly on the move and visiting the ER much more than girl parents.
With mine being 2 years apart we consider them best friends. Yes they fight sometimes but in the end they get along so well.
Now that they are in sports I miss the times where I could rock them to sleep.
Enjoy every moment. I definitely agree with the 90 day breaks for you and your wife. The best thing you can show your children is to be a great husband..
Good luck and congrats again
Being a dad is absolutely the hardest thing I’ve ever done. The hardest thing for me to do is to forgive myself for my mistakes. One thing that I wish was out there was a community of supportive dads. A lot of guys don’t want to talk about life with children and their struggles.
1. Spend time with them
2. Make time to relax and take care of yourself, physically and mentally
I read a statistic that said the number 1 factor of whether or not a child was successful in life was wether or not they had a Dad regularly at the dinner table with them.
Cheers and go blue!
that said... here's my best advice.
Make your house in the wreckage of the future. Enjoy every moment (preferably with some pics or it didn't happen... believe me... I can't even remember the sleepless daze... other than by the logic of cause and effect... I have a daughter... how did that happen?... oh yeah... these pics...) Forgive everybody for what is done (including yourself.) You lost control (if you ever had it) when you became a dad. Hmmm... be wary, enjoy, remember, forgive... but most of all... don't take advice.
Best book I have read recently is 'Algorithms to Live By' by Brian Christians and Tom Griffiths. Not new... but if you really want advice...it's the only one backed up by hard data.
'The Master Algorithm' by Pedro Domingos is next up for me after many months of putting it off. I just finished 'Sapiens' by Yuval Hariri. I liked 'Behave' by Robert Sapolsky. Other than technical stuff for work and pleasure ... these have been good reads. I am watching Wild Wild Country on Netflix (it's pretty good.) Other than the occasional MGoBlog post... the rest of my time is playing games with my family and trying to recall high school math before I am labeled a dunce by my daughter (not easy...)
Sincerely,
the Dunce.
But for now enjoy every memory and sleep when you can. That little baby is going to be walking before you can blink...
Not sure you're going to enjoy at least the first month. That's when night and day become one big blur in timespace. For us it was the first 3 months. But then after that it gets progressively easier and WAY more enjoyable. Parenthood is definitely "rewarding" but I never looked at our first three months as that. It was a chore and a pain in the ass but over all it is a blessing and like I said it gets way better.