This discussion dives into the humorous struggles of parenthood, from embarrassing dance moves to cringe-worthy jokes. It tackles the judgment we feel from our younger selves, reminding us that those critical standards are often misguided. The conversation encourages embracing authenticity in parenting, celebrating the messy, wonderful aspects of raising kids. Ultimately, it highlights the deeper understanding of what truly matters in life, freeing us from the need to care about others' opinions.
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volunteer_activism ADVICE
Embrace Fatherhood
Don't worry about what your younger self would think of your current dad-life.
Embrace your present priorities and values, as they reflect growth and experience.
insights INSIGHT
Evolving Perspective
Your younger self lacked the experience and perspective to understand true happiness.
Current life choices reflect growth, not selling out.
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There are going to be moments in fatherhood—when you’re dancing to Baby Shark to entertain your kid, or you’re way into the third book in the Twilight series for your daughter or you’re making the lamest dad joke of all time—where you might be tempted to step back and think: Oh God, what would the twenty year old version of me think of this? I told myself, I’d never be this guy, and here I am setting up a tent at a soccer game and putting sunscreen on my nose. If they saw me right now, would they mock me mercilessly? Would they kick my ass?
We all think that. We all have that 16-year-old or 25-year-old in our head with their strange, arbitrary and always critical standards for what selling out, or settling, or giving in looks like. Here’s the thing though—and hopefully your own kids give you some perspective on this—but you had absolutely no idea what you were talking about when you first thought those things. You were inexperienced. You were entitled. You were completely self-absorbed. And you were insecure and you were scared and you had not even an inkling of what real love and happiness was.
So that you would be different now, at age _____ with _____ kids? That you would be doing things now you never thought you’d find yourself doing? That’s not selling out. That’s not settling. You’re not a loser. No, you just know something about life now. You know what really matters now. You know what is important to you. And you don’t care as much what people think anymore...starting with that naive teenager in your head.
The Daily Dad