I wake up every day feeling lucky that my family are alive and well, but only when I feel the occasional aches and pains after the previous day's workout do I ever really think about the possibility and challenges of being a physically impaired father -.so when this story came up on my daily news feed it made me pay attention and shed a tear...how fortunate I am.
Read MoreAmerican comedian Steve Schirripa has said that people get that dads have a place in the lives of their sons but can't see that they have to be just as present with daughters
Read MoreI’ve just fathered my seventh child at nearly 54 years of age and I have to say that it was the most relaxed and comfortable that I’ve ever felt being a full-time stay at home working dad... and age has everything to do with it!.
I’m not saying that age equates to experience -.I know that I’ve used my time on the planet very effectively learning how to parent (the mistakes I’ve made have been elsewhere in my life experiences for sure...)but I do know that I’m at least Ph.D. level when it comes to parenting....). So here are Ph.D. dadhood answers to the basic issues of older fatherhood...
What about having the energy to deal with a newborn?
Well, I’ve always said that fitness is the most essential part of being a good parent. I’ve spent years being a fitness fanatic, so lack of energy is all in the mind and keeping my energy levels up beyond what I could do , and I’m always alarmed to see young dads in their 20s flaking out through fatigue. Much of the fatigue comes from mental stress of sleep deprivation, crying, and the fact that your time is no longer your own. Older dads are less likely to want to hang out with the guys, and have alcoholic rampages (...been there and done it) , and more likely to appreciate the amazing experience of being a dad yet again, and the magic that their wife or partner has worked in giving birth. As for sleep deprivation; have you seen how much sleep an average 20 something male needs, especially after a night on the town? See this, as opposed to a 50 something dad who has a gentle night in with his wife and children, who might be disturbed now and then by a small child, and then waking up with a family he adores? Love gives you all the energy you need!
What about balancing career and fatherhood?
True, my business career is demanding, and on occasion I look back to my 20s and think, “if I didn’t have enough time then, how the heck to I arrange it now with a squadron of kids to look after morning to night?” Well, age has taught me how to work smarter, and to focus on work in short bursts in between the interruptions from my 3 year old who just fell over and my 5 year old who just dropped a toy car on her toe...and of course there’s the diaper duty, and the demands from my older children for me to make homemade pizza which only takes 2 hours to make from scratch...
