THE BIRTH OF A FATHER

Not Delivered by a Stork, But Forged in Sticky Fingers, Sleepless Nights, and Perhaps a Litany of Prayers
by: Penelope
● June 28, 2024
They say that a mother is born the moment she conceives.

But fatherhood? It’s a gradual transformation, a journey scattered with diaper changes, first steps, and maybe a few meltdowns (yours and theirs).

However, amidst the chaos, there are moments that whisper (or sometimes shout) – “Hey, you might be doing alright at this dad thing!” 

The birth of a father is just as real, just as messy, and just as full of love (and maybe a little puke and *^***).

Here, let’s hear it from dads and their experiences on becoming fathers.

 

Mark, a father of 2 teenage boys, sneaker lover and basketball afficionado: 

“I became a father at a young age of 22 and at that first moment, there were so many feelings – excitement, anxiety, fear, joy, elation, blessed and the list goes on! That feeling didn’t change when my second son arrived but just less anxiety and fear.” He further added that as a very “hands on” father, “I wanted to experience each and every moment as much as possible. Knowing that they depend on you, and my wife depended on me, you must step up as a parent, as a father. It’s a 24-7 responsibility, forever. And I don’t mind it one bit. I enjoy every second of their upbringing.”

Raising two sons was not the easiest thing at such a young age, there were many things to learn and experience but as a proud father, Mark knows that he has raised his kids right “When I realized that they can hold me accountable. Before you can hold anyone accountable, you must be able to hold yourself accountable, in anything and everything. Once they started to show that, I knew they were on the right path.”

And to all the first-time fathers out there, he has this to say, “For the first time fathers, I would say, you’re not going to know it all from the get go…and it’s ok. Every second moving forward is going to be a learning lesson in fatherhood. You’re going to receive advice from your family and friends… appreciate it, accept it, apply what you think is good advice, but at the end of the day, your child is your child. God created them with a part of you, so you have that connection with them. Trust your parental instinct, make God the foundation of your father son/daughter relationship, and everything’s gonna be OK.”

 

Louie, Musician, Sales King and Bike Riding father of three (2 daughters and 1 son):

As a father of three young adults (how time flies!), Louie was a 100% involved dad during their formative years.  He fondly looked back at memorable moments of them and he had this to say: “My Oldest Daughter – when she had her first menstrual period, she came to me first for comfort.  When she had her first born, she presented the baby to me in the delivery room (what an emotional full circle moment ❤️).

My Middle Child – he promised to be the main Worship Drummer of a mega church in Corona, and it happened.  Another fond memory was when we went on a Scuba Diving Trip in the Philippines – he caught a giant lobster, and we ate it.

My Youngest Daughter – funniest driving lessons (we can’t wait to hear these stories!), thousands of views on social media (if you know, you know!).” 

Although Louie became a father at the relatively young age of 28, he experienced being scared and anxious as a first-time dad. He can now confidently tell himself that he raised his children right. He believes that “As soon as they displayed confidence and self-worth”, he knew in his heart that he did his duty as a parent, as a dad.

And to the new fathers out there, he has this for advice: “Make ’em while you’re still young!”

 

Matt, new father of a baby girl, creative, photographer, and pastor in the making:

As a new father, the feeling is still quite surreal for Matt, who at the age of 34, became the proud dad of an adorable baby girl. For him, the first thought at seeing his baby was “Well… this just happened, and now… I’m a dad.” LOL. It might be considered funny, but all sorts of mixed emotions are swirled into that one statement (fear, uncertainty, anxiety, joy, and wonder all in a megamix inside him). Being a new dad, Matt shares that “I’ve been very involved in terms of being hands-on, changing diapers, interacting with my baby and seeing her grow.”  And further added that everything about his girl is special but he thinks that the most memorable moment for him would be “her first time smiling and giggling – that moment will always stick with me.”

Knowing that fatherhood does not come with a “how-to-be-a-great-dad” playbook, Matt knows that as a parent, all he can aim for is to raise his children the best way he can and is excited for what the future will bring.  As a new father, he has this to share with other dads: “Enjoy every moment, learn from the highs and lows, help out every chance you can get.”

 

Than, a super father of 4 adults, and graphic designer:

“Thank God!” is the first thing that came to Than’s mind when his first child was born at 28. As a father who started at a young age, he considered all of his children that came after the first as further blessings from the Lord. Now that he has successfully raised all four of them into adulthood (40, 34, 31, & 27 respectively), and perhaps having families of their own now, Than could confidently say that he and his wife have raised their children right.  They have been able to do this by lifting them up to the Lord and always praying for them and knowing that the way is paved easier with the Lord present.

Although Than can’t forget the time when he had to leave his four-day old son to go to Africa for a year of further studies, he also knew that his son was in the best hands with his wife (and lots of prayers helped too!).  For new fathers out there, he can only give you these three pieces of sage advice:

1) Persist in praying for your children (Matt.7:7-11)

2) Desire to give good things to your children (eg. Matt.6:33)

3) Be a positive model to your children (Prov. 22:6)

 

The message is clear: the birth of a father isn’t a singular moment, but a journey.  

Forged in sleepless nights, in scraped knees, and bedtime stories, in the fierce protectiveness that blooms in one’s heart. It’s the messy, beautiful process of learning to love another human being more than yourself. So, to all the dads out there, new and seasoned alike, remember that you’re not just dads, you are superheroes in disguise. You’re the monster tamers, the bedtime story readers, the dispensers of bad jokes and endless love. Happy Father’s Day (every day)!

Keep up the good work, dads, the world needs you.

K.I.T (keep in touch)

(because we make kits, DUH)

ABOUT THE WRITER…

Penelope

Unicorn whisperer, miracle believer, and master connector of people and ideas for the greater good. Behind every success, there’s a friend like Pen. With kaleidoscope color-changing hair, Pen is a total MOOD with an eclectic flair for fashion, jewelry, and design. A lover, a traveler, and a happy, smiley wanderer. With her, shopping addictions are enabled and totally justified, so consider yourself warned. Always ready to embark on a wild adventure with friends (both furry and human) and family, Pen will literally work for food and look aesthetically pleasing doing it.

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