I am the very proud dad of two daughters:- Lakeisha and Laura. I have also played a dad role in the lives of other young people. I have been a dad now for 21 years. I have had a great dad for 49 years. I have watched lots of mums and dads. So here is the top ten pieces I would give a new dad.
1) Love your child’s mother incredibly.
2) Put down your phone and be super present. Seriously the amount of parents I see that are more interested in the number of their Facebook likes than their children is alarming.
3) Open a bank account and throw in $10 a week. On your child’s 18th birthday….give them a gift of $10,000
4) Take lots of photos and videos. Like seriously lots. And please please please backup your computer. And don’t have everything kept on your phone.
5) Be a passionate and enthusiastic celebrator. Celebrate everything. I remember Laura at 5 was riding a skateboard for the first time and she fell off and her elbow was bleeding….We celebrated her first ‘serious’ accident. High Fives all round. Click here to see the vid of the incident
6) Start doing stuff early. From the age of about 2yrs old, I told my girls….dads and daughters talk….Now Lakeisha is 20 and lives 1000ks away, but rings me most days….Why? Because Dads and Daughters talk.
7) Children want your approval. Give it to them and give it to them liberally.
8) Speak life over them. Death and life are in the power of the tongue. Speak life over your children. Tell them they are amazing and that they will do amazing things in life.
9) Pray for them. Constantly.
10) Lots of hugs and touches. Lots and Lots.
11) (I can’t count). Give them lots of experiences. Travel as much as you can. Expose them to as much of life as you can.
Hope that helps.
Peter
You may also want to read some of my other Advice Blogs:-
- Top 29 Pieces of Spiritual Advice I Would Give My Daughters
- My Financial Advice To My 19 Year Old Daughter Lakeisha.
- 44 Pieces of Advice on Life I gave Lakeisha on her 16th Birthday
- The 10 best pieces of advice I have been given during my life.
- 17 Pieces of Wisdom I Would Give My Daughters On Being a Woman – Seeing It’s International Women’s Day.
peterpilt 
This blog makes me sad (for all the right reasons). My dad left when I was 6 months old and my daughter’s father left us before she was even born. This list shows me what I missed out on and sadly what my child has now missed too (not that my dad or my husband were the types to pray, No. 9, because neither believes in God). Number 11 has never been an option because we’ve always lived hand to mouth financially. Numbers 6 -10, not a reality because you can’t do things, approve of, speak life over or touch someone who isn’t present. No. 5 really hurts – I don’t think my dad has ever celebrated me for anything and I’m sure my daughter’s father can’t get out of his drug stupor to ever give two hoots about our child’s accomplishments. No 4 is dead on – as her mum, I have lost so many precious photos because my phone has died taking those memories with it. My dad never ever took one single photo of me. Points 1-3, Hahahahaha. You have to laugh to stop yourself from crying. Which I am now, liberally. Thanks for at least helping me feel something Peter.
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