Feel you’re winging fatherhood? You’re not alone! Here are 10 bits of parenting advice from Wonderbly dads, famous fathers and other dads we love, to keep you trooping through those sleepless nights.
On stepping up for your partner
“The best kept secret is that infants are surprisingly boring and they won’t remember anything from the first few years. You have the opportunity to make a real, meaningful impact by becoming the most supportive partner you can. Lean in, chip in, share evenly any possible newborn duty – make the bottles, drown in nappies, pick up the slack on dishes, laundry, cleaning, whatever needs doing, whenever you can.”
– Asi Sharabi, Co-founder and CEO, Wonderbly
On capturing memories
“My advice is to keep a record of that first year. You always think you’ll remember, but everything goes by in a blur.”
– David Cadji-Newby, Co-founder and Author, Wonderbly
On changing nappies
“Just do the dirty work, man. You gotta do the diapers. You gotta do the middle of the night thing… A human being will exit your wife, so she’s done enough. Just change the diapers and do all that stuff.”
– Ryan Reynolds
On hangovers
“Love is agreeing to your other half staying out for the night with friends via text at 10.30pm without arguing. Love is driving to get chicken nuggets & a chocolate milkshake when they resurface in the same clothes as the day before. Love is remembering all the above has been done for me before and & that the brownie points I earned today will once again be traded in when I’m in the same situation sometime in the future.”
– Simon Hooper, aka Father of Daughters
On getting time off work
“If you can take more time off from work than a few days when your baby is born, do it! Your other half will need you and your baby too. I was gutted to go back to work after both mine were born and regret not trying to get more time off. It made it much easier on my wife with me being there to help.”
– Dan Nokes, Lead Engineer, Wonderbly
On being silly
“Dare to be daft. If you want to discover how to make children laugh – and I truly believe all adults should, because children need laughter – the best place to start is with your own childhood.”
– Michael Rosen
On missing your kids
“Every time I’m away from the urchins I breathe a deep sigh of relief for about two minutes then find myself dumbly daydreaming about the last thing I saw them do, like a massive soppy wally.”
– Matt Farquharson, aka Papa Pukka
On mother-in-laws
“Learn to love your mother-in-law. Make her feel welcome in your home and let her stay for over a week (yes, that’s right, a week). The ROI is fantastic.”
– Robert May, Chief Marketing Officer, Wonderbly
On the secret of bringing them up
“You give them unconditional love, and then you give them some structure and some rules, and they usually turn out really, really well.”
– Barack Obama
On taking a break every now and then
“I love him. So much. But I also love a break. He’s just been dropped off at nanny and grandads successfully and we’ve just got home and I’m about to pop open a bottle of Prosecco and put some music on loud and run a bath and get ready nice and leisurely for tonight. From this moment on until tomorrow lunch time I am going to live like it’s 2014.”
– Tom, aka Unlikely Dad
Bonus tip! On celebrating yourself
Most dads don’t like to make a fuss on Father’s Day – they tend to save the celebrating for kid’s birthday parties, or when mum decides it’s prosecco Thursday. But dads deserve at least one day a year that’s dedicated to them, and all the dad-tastic things they do! Remind every dad, daddy and papa how special he is with one of our Father’s Day gifts.