On becoming the 'Tips, Hacks, and Laughs' Dad, with Andrew McFarlane
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On becoming the 'Tips, Hacks, and Laughs' Dad, with Andrew McFarlane
Dadditude Newsletter #7
5 years ago, Andrew launched The Papa Perspective, a blog about fatherhood, in order to “study about it and become somewhat capable”. Now also on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, he shares candidly about the ups & downs of his dad life with a positive energy that we find contagious.
We spoke with him recently about his life as a share-it-all, work from home dad of 2 young boys.
Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m a father of 2 very energetic boys and husband to an amazing wife. For my day job, I’m a financial analyst for a higher ed tech company. On the side, I love to play hockey, go outside and photograph landscapes, and hang out with family & friends.
I started @PapaPerspective after my first son was born as a way to share what I learned about fatherhood and to help inspire other dads to be their best self. Since then, I have created content about how to take care of your kids, your self, and your home in the modern day.
How old are your kids?
I have a 4 year old who is a very social kid who has to make friends with everyone. However, he becomes very timid when trying new things. On the flip side, my 2 year old will jump off of anything and everything without giving a single thought about consequences. Both boys are super energetic and always wanting to play.
How do you manage to mix work and family?
Being a father influences my current endeavours as I feel the responsibility to provide for my family. I focus on working hard to make sure that I have all of the physical needs met for my boys from an occupational standpoint. I feel lucky, however, that I work from home 100% of the time so I can also be a part of the day to day and insert myself to help fulfill their mental, emotional, and social needs as well.
What do you think is your biggest strength as a parent?
I’m very communicative with my wife. We can talk to each other about anything and everything. This has helped us think critically about how we love and discipline our kids. If we do something that didn’t have the effect we wanted it to, we can talk about it with each other to find ways to improve our parenting style.
What stresses you out the most these days as a parent?
Making sure that I don’t do anything too bad to mess up my kids haha (i.e. I parent in a constructive and loving way that will help shape my kids to be critical thinkers and have a High Emotional Intelligence)
What side of parenthood do you wish you had invested more time and energy in the past?
Studying proper techniques to raise kids and grow as a parent. I didn’t do as much “knowledge” prep as I leaned too much on my wife to teach me things she learned from her college degrees. I should’ve also invested more time in talking with fellow dads during the harder times.
Can you tell us about an especially favorite/special moment with your kids recently?
We recently bought a trampoline and put it up in our backyard. The last few days we’ve had amazing times just jumping, flipping, and laughing. The little moments when you find yourself laughing together are the ones that make the tough times worth it.
Thank you Andrew!
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