Appreciating the Dad in Your Life
/At Boot Camp for New Moms, we talk a lot about the impact fathers have on their child’s life and the value they bring to you as your partner, because it’s pretty profound. Dad is your greatest ally, and your child’s champion. When men become fathers, they get a chance to appreciate their own dad in a whole new light and to understand his struggles, sacrifices, and unique expressions of love.
On the heels of Father’s Day, we’re sharing what dads-to-be at Boot Camp had to say about their own fathers and, in particular, what parenting qualities they most liked. One thing is clear: dads who, despite the challenges, are present and engaged leave a lasting and positive mark on their kids.
“My dad worked a lot and wanted me to become independent, which was great…I want to make sure my wife and I teach our boy to be independent.”
“He was a very humble guy and worked really hard to support us. He would come home for dinner then go back to work at his business.”
“My father was the Rock of Gibraltar. He wasn’t a real emotional guy, but was there all the time.”
“He retired when I was really young just so he could be with me. The thing that he really did right was to be a part of my everyday life.”
“He taught us that if you want something, with hard work, you can get it. And he taught us to be humble.”
“He included me in his life. He wasn’t really a kid person, but at a very early age he showed me the ins and outs of a machine shop, so I’d worked along side him.”
“There’s no such thing as being there too much. He was pretty hands-on and always available and always there.”
“He never put my mom down, even though they were divorced.”
“He died when I was 16 and I didn’t know him growing up, but he taught me respect for my mom and a respect for moms, in general, because he adored his mom.”
“We had four kids in our family and he worked two jobs, but he always made time to take care of us and do stuff with us like taking time out to take us places.”
“My dad was in the military and when he was home, he taught me a lot. He taught me discipline, love, support, and compassion. My parents are still married to this day.”
“My dad didn’t just take an interest in what I was doing, he became interested in it to the point where I felt like he was one of my best friends. Also, he gave me a way to look up to him because he would try to be the best at whatever I was doing. He wasn’t just faking it.”
“He never really pushed me to do anything I didn’t want to do — he let me make my own decisions.”
“He was always there. He still is... ”
