Life Fast Forward – TheRealMattDaddy

The moment a child is born a parents job is working towards letting them go. What would it be like if you could write a letter to your child in the future? Have you ever considered what you would tell your child about life and being a parent? There is no right or wrong answer. It’s all about being open and honest with our kids. I am fortunate to have a great dad this week, Matthew, who writes at The Real Matt Daddy. He looked at Life Fast Forward with his daughter, A.K.A Baby Matt Daddy, Munchkin, Nugget or any other cute nicknames.

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Dear Nugget,

I am so excited that you are about to become a mommy for the first time. You must be so happy, and if you’re anything like your mommy was when you were about to arrive, you are probably a little anxious. Honestly, I was a little scared too when you were about to arrive. I thought that I had to make as much money as I could so we could afford for mommy to stay home with you. What I didn’t know was that I was totally wrong about that. I wasted the entire first year of your life chasing money, when I should have been helping your mommy with the housework, changing more diapers, and waking up with you in the middle of the night. It was really tough on her, and that’s why we made some changes.

Your mom and I got to a place where money and possessions were no longer important. All that mattered was teaching you how to be an intelligent, respectful, caring, and passionate person (and we are so proud of how you turned out). When we decided to have mom go back to work and let me stay home with you, I was so worried about the job that I would do. I didn’t know if I could be nurturing enough. But as it turned out, I had nothing to worry about. You and I had some amazing times together, and those are some of the best memories.

As you are about to be a mommy yourself, I want to encourage you to remember a few things that I tried to teach you while you were growing up. The first two things go without saying – love God with all of your heart, and love your neighbor in a way that shows them God’s love. Also, don’t let yourself chase after money and possessions. They are not going to fulfill you or give you purpose. They are easy distractions from what is really important, and they will never make you happy.

Expect a lot from your husband. Don’t let him wimp out on the tough parenting jobs. Have him change diapers, clean up vomit, wash those sippy cups that are impossible to clean, and give the first discipline. I know you picked a good man because I taught you what to look for, but I don’t want him to miss out on all of the difficult things that end up making life so rewarding. It wouldn’t be fair to you or to him. I wish I could have that first year of your life back. I would do so much more to help mom, and I would have so many more memories of you as a helpless little infant. Don’t let your husband miss out on those memories.

Make sure that you are investing time with one another as well. Keep your romance with your husband alive because he will be the only one there when your kids are gone. I love your mom more today than I ever have, and that is only true because we both took the time to date and romance each other while you were growing up. Don’t go to bed angry, and always say kind things to each other. Make it easy to love one another.

Kids bring a lot of joy, but they can also bring a lot of frustration. Get on the same page with your husband before the baby arrives. Talk about things like discipline, expectations, schedules, money, priorities, food choices, and what’s really important to teach your child. I know this seems like a “no-brainer” but it really does help make things go more smoothly. Be sure to revisit the plan along the way to make evaluations. Parenting is not an easy job, but it can be a fun job. Always make time to have fun together, whether it’s a tickle fight or a night out bowling, some of your best times will be had when you spend time together.

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About the author:
Matt Peregoy is an at-home dad and short order cook for his two-year old daughter. You can keep up with his writing at TheRealMattDaddy.com.

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Great Life Fast Forward letter Matt! I have no doubt your daughter is going to become an great mom with you as a dad. She is one lucky little girl to have such a great dad! I am betting she will be calling on you to babysit in the future! Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful heartfelt Life Fast Forward letter.

Matt didn’t mention it earlier but you can also follow him on facebook at The Real Matt Daddy and on twitter @realmattdaddy.

For everyone else….If you have anything you would like to tell or ask Matt please do so in the comments! As parents  we have to support each other and sometimes that means just letting each other know “you’re doing a good job!”

Is there anything in particular you would tell your children? Would you remind them to just enjoy the moments or not get mad when their children don’t listen? I am still looking for more parents that would like to guest blog and write a letter to their children.

Read my latest post here: Negative Influences – Coping with Bad Behavior and be sure to check out the rest of the Life Fast Forward letters including the one I wrote to my son.

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• Life Fast Forward – TheDaddyComplex
• Life Fast Forward – OurCrazyBoys

Tags: dad, diapers, mommy, parenthood, parents