The hardest part at first was not being there all the time.  No more bedtime routine, not being there if they wake up from a nightmare, etc.  But when the new reality set in and we got used to the new arrangement, I found we appreciated our time together much more.

During the week, I have time to take care of projects, meet with friends, read books and work out.  When I have my girls over, everything stops and I focus in on them.  I have music playing and we take a few minutes to dance and hug.  I plan activities for our weekend to visit new places, go on road trips, visit the museum, take in a movie; anything I can do to spend time with them and take them out of the doldrums of school and house work.

I also make it a point to show them how a man should be and act with them.  I joke around and tease them.  We talk about their day, their friends, what they like and what they are afraid of. When they ask me a question, they get my full attention.  I have also made it a point to spend one on one time with them.  Specifically on their birthdays, but also sometimes during the month.  I dress up and take them to a nice restaurant.  I’m the primary example of what a man should be, so I try to be a good one.

As a Fierce Father, I am also aware of anyone I decide to bring into my life has to get along with my children.  I am up front that I am a dad, that I have no real interest in having more and that they will always come first.  While the woman I will eventually meet will never replace their mother, they do have to be a good example of what it means to be a woman.

Being a father is a gift and a privileges.  Like all good things, it has its challenges, but the rewards are worth the effort.  If you’re going to do something, do it well and do it with style.