In this post, I discuss how happy I am to be a father and how my life has changed as a result of the birth of my son. I’ll also touch on preparing for fatherhood for all the new expecting dads. Back in 2016, when my wife told me she was expecting, it really surprised me. In actuality, we had been trying to conceive, but I never imagined it would happen.

I know I’m foolish, but the reality of the situation hit me. I must admit that I was initially rather terrified, but I now consider myself quite fortunate because my son has significantly improved my life. So now, I’m an Ex-Pat dad…Living in South Korea with an awesome little boy.

I decided to go out for a few beers with a friend about a week before the birth of my baby. It felt like the final night of freedom before becoming a dad. I can still recall thinking, “I gonna miss this,” going out and ‘freedom’. For some reason, I truly believed that becoming a father would put an end to any social life I had and mark the beginning of a life of doldrums.

two new lives begin

It’s difficult to put into words the emotions and happiness I felt when I first saw and held my son. He was really thin and light and looked pale. When I gave him some milk to drink, he quickly began to drink it down, looking like myself having a beer after work.

My wife went into the bathroom, leaving me in the room alone with the baby, and my thoughts began to race. He was so perfect that I could not stop gazing at him. You are the luckiest man alive, I thought in fear, what a fool I must be.

My entire outlook on life has altered; in the past, hanging out with my pals played a significant role in who I was. I must admit that even while I still go out with them, it is probably only half as frequently as it used to be.

You might think I’m sad, but when I’m away from home, I miss my son and the rest of my family. Cheesy, I know, but I’m sure many of you dads out there feel the same way.

I have always been the type of person who is often anxious and stressed. This can even turn into a period of sustained grumpiness. Nowadays whenever I feel any of these symptoms I spend as much time as possible with my son as he soon puts a smile back onto my face.

I find it quite difficult to understand those who choose not to have children, and I feel terrible for those who are unable to do so.

Home or abroad, fatherhood is fatherhood.

There are many things you should be doing before/during and after to prepare for fatherhood. I think that exercising would be on the top of your list including diminishing drinking and quitting smoking. Being active during pregnancy, no matter how busy you are, will benefit everyone with long-lasting effects.

Picture the ‘dad’ you want to be and aim and lead yourself towards that goal. Try going online and find a ‘dad group’ online and get information from them, you never know, you might make a lifelong friend. My advice to you, take it one day at a time. If you’re a new father simply have fun and take in everything you can. They are only young once.

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Please leave me a comment or contact me via our contact page. I would love to hear from other dads!

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