We are delighted to be working with DaddiLife to share this review for this book You’re Going to Be A Dad, which we think is an essential piece of kit for any new dad…
We regard ourselves as seasoned parents, now our children are heading into the teens, but I work with families of young children, and I still remember the early days of parenthood and I wish I knew then, what I know now.
As a mum, there are lots of good, and not so good parenting books out there, books on childcare, books on motherhood, books on child development, books on what to expect, books on what to do and not do. But I have to admit there were not very many books for Dads out there, and the husband basically mostly winged it, as he fell into the roll of fatherhood to our two children.
Whilst a lot of the burden of pregnancy, birth and parenting does fall on mums, Dads also play an important role, and they need just as much support and encouragement and help. We have, as a couple always operated on the basis that he was there for the conception and birth, so he is half the partnership (don’t get me started on calling dads “babysitters” for their own kids, that’s a post for another day) and he is just as capable as me at looking after and being a good parent to his children.
Way back then, we could have done with a book, just for him, with tips, advice, humour and practical suggestions.
DaddiLife has solved that problem, and now You’re Going to Be a Dad a book just for Dads is out there for Dads and Dads to be and is the ideal gift for a new dad or even a someone who is a dad already.
The three things that we’ve worked hard on for this book that we believe are unique and that will
make a big difference for new dads:
It goes far beyond the surface level. Where traditional dad books have often had advice like
‘just don’t forget to put the beer away,’ we’ve spent the last few months exploring the deeper
challenges and tensions that modern dad dads go through and actually want actual advice on.
As a result we break down the pregnancy journey week by week, exploring the science of
mother & baby, dad’s psychology, and a weekly checklist for dads to make a plan of action.
We’ve interviewed with over 50 new dads and dads-to-be across the world. These have
been men across the US, UK, Australia, and more, with view of sharing personal insights at
relevant stages of the journey from multiple dad perspectives. These have been dad’s who have
conceived naturally, through to dads who have gone through IVF, dad’s of twins, and may more
backgrounds. These insights have helped show how diverse early stage fatherhood is, and how
it’s far from a one sized fits all.
Reflections and lessons from Covid 19, and what dads would do differently with any future
restrictions in place.
This is brilliantly and also gently written. It’s not one of those “written by someone with qualifications but no actual children” books, and it’s also not one of those “you are not a perfect parent until you have read this book and acted on it” books either.
It’s refreshing, humorous but most of all helpful. Daddilife has spoken to a wide variety of dads in order to reflect how varied and different the life of a dad can be and taken their wisdom and experience and put it in book form in an easy way for any new or dad to be to read.
We both read it, I let him read it first of course, being as he is the DAD, and we both particularly like that it’s practical and not patronising and it’s helpful. I like the fact that it talks to dads about whats going on with mum and baby (which we all know can seem strange, stressful and mysterious at the best of times and mind boggling at the worst of times) and he liked the weekly checklist idea. He’s a checklist and “to do” type person and this kind of thing would have been so helpful when our kids were babies and as we adjusted to family life.
I think Dads get forgotten a bit in the build up to birth, and newborn life and beyond and in order for them to be able to support and look after mum and his children he needs to have some support too and this is brilliant gift idea to make sure Dad isn’t forgotten at the baby shower or when you are thinking of what to get a new family.
We would highly recommend it and it’s well worth getting your hands on even if like us, you are a bit further down the Dad path.
You can get your hands on a copy here and we don’t think you will regret it.
Daddilife has also written a rather fabulous joke book we love and you can follow him on Instagram , Twitter and Facebook too where he shares about fatherhood and supports dads on their parenting journey.