What makes the perfect Dad?

Heya everyone!

Today is special, I'm publishing this post from a hotel room in london just in case I don't get the chance tomorrow morning, as I'll be in a radio studio tomorrow morning talking with stations around the UK and Ireland about being a dad thanks to the lovely people at Burts Potato Chips and their yummy goodness!

The guys and gals at Burts were wondering how we can all be the perfect dad's. I've got an easy way to do that, ask the kids. If come out with the cute "you're the best daddy ever" or "you've got a big belly" or similar, in my eyes you've pretty much cracked it! Yes you can forget the cringe worthy dancing, the bad jokes and being a bank that never closes, all you need to do to be the perfect modern father is to always be there when needed in a crisis, give great life advice and cheer up your children when they’re down.

With Father’s Day just around the corner a study by Burts Potato Chips has revealed the top attributes that combine to make the best dad. Being able to help out with DIY in the house (43 per cent), give good financial advice (38 per cent) and give a great hug (28 per cent) also ranked highly on what makes the perfect dad.
When it comes to gifts, dads aren't demanding with less than half (42 per cent including myself) not expecting a Father’s Day present, a third (36 per cent) stating that the best Father’s Day present they received was something made by their child and a quarter (26 per cent including me) valuing time spent with their children on Father’s Day as the most important gift they could be given.

On speaking to Leane Bramhall, the Marketing Director at Burts Potato Chips she tells me “Our research found that 43 per cent of us feel that our dads rarely treat themselves, instead opting to treat the family more. Father’s Day is a perfect opportunity to give som
ething back and show them our gratitude.“

With more than a third of us (38 per cent) resorting to the same, boring presents each year and struggling to know what to buy, it seems however that we are giving them less and less thought when it comes to saying ‘Thank you’. What’s more, a staggering 10 per cent don’t even buy their Dad a present or a card – twice as many as those who don’t give their mother a card or present for Mother’s Day.

Leane continues: “We rely on our Dads for more than we give them credit for and with the research revealing that they often get overlooked, something as simple as quality family time together can make a huge difference. This year we are encouraging Brits to make the extra effort and show their appreciation.“

Stuck on how to celebrate fathers day this year, well how about the chance to win a deliciously epic supply of potato chips and a new TV thanks to Burts Potato Chips?

In the run up to Father’s Day, Burts Potato Chips are asking people to submit a photo of their dad, through their Facebook page www.facebook.com/BurtsChips, captioned with why they are #BurtsBestDad for a chance to win a year’s supply of Burts Chips and a state-of-the-art TV from Finlux.

I can't enter the competition as I'm representing Burts Potato Chips with this post but thought I would ask TheJess to chat with the girls while I'm in London what they love about their dad and this is what they thought.

"Daddy makes yummy dinner and gives great cuddles and loves making me laugh with tickles. We love playing in the woods with daddy and making treetents. And daddy makes the bestest pancakes ever" Roll on Sunday

While I stop blushing I'll tell you a little about what i think about my father too!

What Can I say about my old man, he wasn't the best judge of things and pretty stuborn but at times made up for his quirks with his skills behind the wheel of a truck, be it a DAF3300 ATI, Volvo F12, DxxxBEG, the limiter destroying Foden, you knew how to throw a truck around better than many and while not perfect you made a huge first step to smooth things over with us in the week you passed. so all I can say is thanks!

#LifeIsReborn Osmosis from bloke to Father!

Heya People!


I was approached by Johnson & Johnson who were looking for bloggers to talk about having children from the perspectives of other family members, be it brothers, grandparents and dads to tie in with a new campaign, called Life Is Reborn featuring the family as a whole. I like the idea of family (even if ours is as strange as the Addams Family) and more importantly think it's a good topic so I've jumped on board with this one.




Most of us have heard of Johnson & Johnson, after all it's a company that's been by the side of parents for over 100 years. In an ever changing world it's pretty cool to me for a company to be standing proud to tell the world there here to make things easier through their products. I'm not just saying that as they've approached me but say it as my Daughters from a young age used products from Johnson & Johnson and they always worked well and with my older daughters eczema. this is why I am happy to talk about their products.


I was going to jump into the questions , but thought it would be better to give an insight on how this strange bloke became a Father,

When I met my partner over 9  years ago, having children was not even a thought that had crossed my mind, I'd been misinformed in the past that I was probably sterile. But on meeting my partner all those years back when she told me she had a son it was weird. I said outright if he does not like me straight away I would not go much further as it's unfair on both mother and son for me to come and slap a potentially huge wedge between mother and son.
Although all was well we got on well, really well as. the years rolled by and he called me Dad, a word I was not expecting, this to me was one of the most amazing yet scary moments in my life. If he was happy to declare me his dad I was happy to call him my Son. For me it was a defining moment in my life. I'd been thinking more about the idea of having a family since being with my partner, I suppose that was the beginning of a new turn on my life without turning the page. As essentially I'd already taken the role of a father without realising what that role meant.
It was the moment I stopped being a childish 20something and stepped up to the role, I hope it didn't make me a bore or grump but it probably did, but we learn things every day and that's all that's important is be it good or bad we take those moments on the chin.

Eventually we decided it was time to try for a baby or two I'll not talk about that here in this post as I'm trying my hardest to keep this positive but I've discussed it in depth on Dadzclub and after a few bumps in the road we have three awesome children. Which brings me to the questions Johnson and Johnson asked me.

They asked if the way I saw my partner changed at all while having children. And how everything felt from my point of view. Well let us begin.

Originally I would not have thought about pregnancy, despite being told TheJess's first pregnancy nearly ended in tragedy for both mother and son it was only when we decided to try to have a child together this huge worry set in, with all the trouble we'd had to keep a pregnancy to stick we were both nervous wrecks, It could have pulled us apart, but it showed my partner in a new light, to know she was carrying our child inside her was as amazing to me as I could imagine an explorer would feel on finding Atlantis. It was monumentally amazing. And moreso to feel our little child say hello by kicks, or sharktailing so we can see it.

Both girls tried to escape multiple times, and they made sure we knew they were stubbornly not going anywhere from false labour to actual labour with no progression. Oh boy they made sure we knew it. It was a beautifully scary thing to watch and experience, but at the same time it was one of the most amazing points of my life.

One piece of advice I can give to parents who are struggling to conceive or going through the heartbreak of miscarriage is to remember the pain hurts and the thoughts will always be with you but when a stubborn child arrives, they'll come fighting and they'll never stop fighting to show you how great you are. Never give up.

Now for me being a dad before having more children was purely by osmosis. We got on and fit well like a missing jigsaw piece, I'm sure it does not always work like this. But to become a parent was strange, my life used to revolve around making money to play with computers, when I met my partner that changed and I sold nearly all of my tech gear on bar an old laptop and a couple of pc's and tried to make my somewhat shabby but home studio flat into a liveable place that was child safe for the times we planned things there.

I feel becoming a parent probably stopped me being an idiot, calmed me down a tonne despite still being a grumpy old sod but changed me for the better. As my parents are not with us I missed a lot of life lessons parents should probably give to their children. I only hope I'm doing a good job as it certainly feels at time's that I'm not. But only time will tell if I did well. But after watching the #LifeIsReborn advert I suppose the reborn one here was me really, from idiot to parent with L plates to dad of three.


Please, tell me if you think becoming a parent changed you for the better or the worst? There are no wrong responses. It would be fab to hear other opinions. I'll be happy to link other blogposts here too.

Paul.

For disclosure purposes I've got to tell you that In exchange for the post I'm being sent some goodies from Johnson & Johnson. those goodies are being given to a friend who's expecting soon. 

Giggles: Cheeky Girl

This morning I came in to the living room to find the smalls playing well together. I sit down to be given a huge hug by Lissy and her Roo bear plushie.

In talking to her I ask her if she's a cheeky girl? I was not expecting this response.

She holds Roo bear up to me and begins to sing.

"Roo is a cheeky boy, Roo is a cheeky boy, Dad is a cheeky girl, Dad is a cheeky girllllll" ending with  "Dad your a cheeky girl!"

*facepalm*

Silent sunday

Monday, Grumpy Monday.

This is a test post using the iPad I won thanks to glam media. (Using blogger+)

It's the monday after cybermummy11 and boy it's still a huge buzz to be part of it. And I loved every moment of it. Bar none.

But things come crashing back to reality when we realise school is closed for Vee. Causing huge upset to a little lump setting the mood for the rest of the day, with the weather really not helping made both a grumpy pair of girls.

Now the easiest way for me to help was fruit lolly's, drinks and hugs. They didn't want anything, surely not!

But windows open, pasta cooked and we have three happy kiddo's.

The strange thing i've noticed. While there grumping they seem to keep alternating between both me and my partner. Usually they avoid us unless they want wifies iPod or twinkle twinkle little star from super simple learning. (trust me. They are awesome.)

I'm no complaining, I love spending time with my children, it's the best feeling in the world to have them come for a snuggle, leaving me with a useful feeling, as if i'm doing right. When on some occasions it's the opposite they avoid me like I'm evil. Crying at any attempts to comfort them, but. Mummy saves the day here.

Does anyone else have days where it's more a love/hate relationship from there little cherubs?

Paul.

Silent Sunday - Hoodies like daddy