Why THIS Blog, and why now?

Welcome to “Forever Being Daddy.” This is a place you are welcome and a community passionate about fathers and the roles we have in the little lives who depend on us. But before we get into the nitty gritty, I wanted you to know why this blog has come about and why start writing it now?

Since I became the father to a beautiful little girl, it has become apparent to me that fatherhood is a massively misunderstood, poorly encouraged and an extremely difficult job. Part of the misunderstanding of the role of a father seems to be shown in the films and TV shows we watch. How many times have you seen a bumbling useless dad, getting confused, forgetting what he’s doing and ending up making a comical mess of the whole kit and caboodle (yes, that is an actual word, I googled it!)

What really surprises me, is not only do men and women find amusement in such a character, but often us fathers do as well. We like to poke fun at ourselves, have a bit of banter and play the role of the bumbling dad, trying to get things right but getting it so wrong.

I really want this blog to engender that sense of fun. That irreverent humour. The comradery of incompetence (I like that phrase, it can stay!) But I also want us to be aware of a critical danger to our lives and by extension our society. Y’see while we like to smile and joke with the rest of the culture at our role in the world. If we’re not careful, it can step beyond a joke and we can start to believe it. So many and so often are the jokes about the bumbling and useless dad that we start to personify the role. We can start to live down to those expectations and even worse, we can give up, give in and use that image as an excuse not to man-up, stand up and be daddy!

So why now? Why the dickens not! The more I talked with my fellow Dads, the more I spoke to Mums about their partners and the more children I saw without a Dad in their life the more I realised that I want to encourage Dads that their role is not just important it is essential! You do not get to walk away from your responsibility as a father, and you shouldn’t allow yourself to. With all that in mind, I started writing a book, and the upshot of writing the book came this blog. I want this to be a place where we can encourage one another, where we can learn to be supportive, where we can have fun, poke fun and mercilessly deride each other with the underpinning of “hope!” It’s time we took our role as fathers serious and I would love you to join me!

You might not be a dad…
Mum
Friend
Wife
Partner
Child
Professor of iconography at Bristol University (I made this person up but if you exist, please introduce yourself)

No matter who you are, what role you have, what gender you are, I hope here you find the information and insight to support those you love in their roles and dads. Maybe, this person isn’t taking their responsibility seriously? Then I hope this is a place where you will find out how to encourage him, challenge him and frankly advise him to be like the rest of us a man-up! Trust me, we all need to man-up now and again!

So welcome to this blog. Please comment, read (possibly not in that order, that won’t be helpful) share on social media and most importantly, start these conversations with the men in your life who are either dads or one day wish to be dads.

Lets change our culture

Lets change our lives

Lets impact our children

Lets have some Men Behaving Daddly

Forever Being Daddy