How Becoming a Father Changed Me – Dudes to Dads Podcast Ep 208

When you find out your going to become a father, one of the 5 thousand questions that will probably go through your head is "am I going to change?" I know I was concerned with how my life was going to be effected. Little did I know that the positive changes would greatly outweighed any negatives that I was worried about. So in this episode, I'm sharing with you how becoming a father changed me When you are going to be become a father, you know things are about to change.  You don't know exactly what, but you know your life is going to be different. For me, there are some very specific things that changed.  Overall I think becoming a father has forced me to be a better man.  Here are some ways that i have been impacted: #1 - I'm Less Selfish - You can't only think about yourself when you become a father.  You hope you are less selfish when you are in a relationship or you get married.  But having a child brings it to a whole other level. Decisions are made considering your family.  This can be everything from where you are going to dinner all the way down to a career choice. In the past, I could do what i want whenever I want.  Now you have to consider others when making decisions and that's ok. #2 - I value time more - I remember when I was young and single, having complete weekends with no plans and no obligations was a regular thing.  This doesn't happen very much anymore as a father. Your schedule is tight because if you don't have something planned, you want to spend the time with your family.  Also when your child is really young, having an hour of quiet and nothing to do seems like the most amazing thing in the world. But time just becomes more valuable and you don't want to waste it. #3 - I think about my Legacy - Before I had kids, I didn't give much thought to how I was impacting those around me, let alone the community or the even the world. I began to look at the world around my kids in a different way.  How could I impact people and leave a mark here after I am gone? Becoming a father had me look more at my ability to impact others.  This was my drive to start Dad University and help educate dads around the world. #4 - I've Become more Responsible - Good or bad, when you are a father you always have someone watching you.  That little one is watching the way you treat other people, how hard your work, or the food and drink you consume. The choices you make in your life, now have a direct impact on them because they are watching and learning from you. For me, making choices like eating less sugar, drinking less alcohol, and exercising regularly, are examples that I'm trying to set for my kids.  They see it. #5 - Better work-life balance -  Becoming a father has allowed me to have a better work-life balance. Sure, I work hard and i love what I do.  But it doesn't take priority over my family.  Whether it's having family dinners, or going on weekend camping trips with my kids, i have been able to find a better work-life balance since becoming a father. Remember: Nobody on their death bed ever said "I should have spent more time at the office". Alan, if anything has any comments or feedback, what should they do?

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Getting married and having kids is quite different than being a single dude. Not only does your available free time change, but your stress level increases, the pressure escalates, and we often don't have an outlet for help. The average woman has a circle of friends, family, or online communities where she shares aspects of her life and gets advice, feedback, or at a minimum, the feeling that there are other people going through the same thing. Men don't talk as much, don't want to share as much, and therefore don't really experience the transition the way women do. Our personal struggles and frustrations often go untouched, simply learning how to cope with them ourselves. We think we need to "man up" and deal with it on our own. Whether it is parenting issues, dealing with our relationships, or anything in-between, Dad University is a place where men can know that other guys are going through the same thing. We can help each other and be better fathers and husbands. The Podcast helps dads through the journey of fatherhood as well as provides advice and assistance in relationships.