by Elise Bowerman
Yesterday my hubby, Jon, wrote this note to someone he knows who became a father for the first time this weekend. Genuine care, humor, and truth from one dad to another...
Congratulations (name removed)!!!
Remember, (as you're driving home from the hospital at 10 mph stopping at every yellow light) no parent has any idea what they're really doing, we all just act like it. You're now in the "I can't believe they trusted me with a life" club.
So, if you think you're doing something wrong - you may be right; or not. The point is no one "really" knows your kid like you do.
Everyone's going to have advice. My advice (LOL) is to not listen to it.
Advice will come from:
- People with older kids or even your parents age which are too far past the newborn stage to remember what it's like.
- People who want to sell you sh*t.
- People who work for Disney, ultimately trying to get to point #2 above.
- People on social media who only post the good things they do parenting, not the clip telling their kid to "f---ing go to sleep."
No one else in the newborn stage will give you advice, because no one in that stage feels like they're in the position to give it.
The only person you have to listen to is your wife, because now she's the mother of your child. And nothing you will ever do trumps that. But now that you've witnessed what you would have to go through to have that power, you're cool with not having it.
Cheers to you, enjoy every day with your daughter, cause man they go fast!