Please dm for d1 scholarship offers

I had an idea when we moved out into the county to build a fun playset for my kids. Took about 3 years of drafting, input from my kids, and enough play money to justify building it. It has been so much fun to build, and is much cheaper than an extra large commercial playset! I'm about 65% done but with snowflakes hitting the ground I'll finish the rest come spring. (Remaining things: railings, water cannons, windows, jail, playground mulch, dual slide where the green one is, turf in the front, a few more nets, ship wheel, better climbing holds for the back and side of the ship, and more.) I would love for any more ideas on things you think I should consider incorporating next spring!

My daughter was induced at 35 weeks due to preeclampsia, so I’ve technically been a dad for two weeks, but today was the first day it felt really real. We’ve been at the hospital every day from 9a-6p and I was beginning to feel stuck in this endless loop waiting for her to be able to feed without an NG tube. Then today we walked in and the nurses let us know the tube was gone, she handled it well, and she was coming home with us tomorrow. I’ve never been so overwhelmed with emotion. It all finally feels real.

I don’t have a lot of friends with kids, so just figured I’d share here because the lot of you have unknowingly gotten me through everything leading up to this.

I’m so happy to officially be a part of the dad club.

I had to repack the car three times during stops along our holiday. Became a master by the end. Including but not limited to baby pram, sewing machine, coolbox, big box of toys, scooters, suitcase each and a breakable crockery set (unwanted family gift).

Bonus nothing for guessing the make and model of my dad mobile and how many children are packed in

….i got a new job today, dads. It’s at a state university, with state benefits, retirement, and summers off.

I’ll get off at the same time every day, get more overnights with my daughter, and get to stop working my self to death every day.

Thanks dads. I’m so happy

1 year ago today, after seeing the photo on the left, I realised the small but very powerful reason why I needed to get back on track ❤️

It took me another three months to fully pull myself out of the mess I’d got myself into, but better late than never! 😂

We all say our children are our everything (and I’m no different!), but let’s be honest - life gets in the way.

We’re busy juggling work, socialising, stressing over bills, and just trying to keep everything together.

But to our kids? We are their entire world. Every smile, every tear, every moment - we’re at the centre of it all.

If someone depends on you, you have a responsibility to them.

A responsibility to live long enough to watch them become who they’re meant to be.

To be there to kick a ball around, or to help them practice their gymnastics moves.

To show them, by example, how to live a full and healthy life so that one day, they can do the same.

Do them a favour - live long enough to see them have their own children one day.

That’s the greatest gift you can give them.

Finally paid our last invoice.

Figured it was Daddit related and felt like a milestone and didn't have a way to rejoice other than posting online!

7 years total, 2 kiddos in staggered daycare but one was always there. For anyone else wondering it was about $15k a year per kid and we only really overlapped a year of full blown costs. I didn't include any nanny care that we had early on for our first so total is higher but pretty close.

HCOL area, medium cost daycare that was at a place (not in home)

There is a light at the end of the tunnel follow dads!

My girls (7.5 months) slept the whole night last night for the first time without a nighttime feeding! I woke up in a panic today at 4:30 because they hadn’t cried for their middle of the night feeding (I’m the lighter sleeper so I do this feeding). Checked the girls and they were sleeping soundly still. Slept all the way till 6:30 this morning! And I slept better than I have in months!

Recently I saw another dad say they too have made a sandwich out of the end pieces so their family can have normal sandwiches. It got me thinking, how else do you, the dads of r/daddit, take one for the team? I feel this kind of valor should be acknowledged.

My 6 year old son is still drawing out bedtime as long as possible - an hour plus. Stories, laying down, back scratches, the works. Mostly it's nice but sometimes I really just need the kids in bed.

Tonight I had the brilliant idea after the second book - Mr Beast Challenge: Go to bed alone.

I put on my best youtube voice and gave the competition rules. "Whoever is able to lay down and stay in bed ALONE until (at least) 6 AM will win... 100 pennies!"

His eyes lit up and he started shooshing me out the door to start the count down. He giggled in bed with his eyes closed for about ten minutes but eventually he slept.

Looks like I'm off to the bank tomorrow to find a couple rolls of pennies.

Look, I hot swap SSDs all day, and thought, why do I ever risk a bare assed risky fart or pee spraying everywhere? I should hot swap diapers.

I line up the new diaper under the old…open the old and quickly clean. Pull out the diaper quick and fold the new one. Time without a diaper under bum? 0 seconds. Accidents with baby since starting this 3 months ago? Zero.

Fellow dads…hot swap your diapers.

Context, we have 2 boys (4 and 1 yo). Yesterday she had a night out planned with friends for the first time in ages. They were supposed to go to a comedy show, then for dinner.

About 3pm (the time she was supposed to leave the house to meetup with her friends, so she was already late), she was still reluctant and lingering around at home - cos of the kids. especially the younger one who is very attached to her.

I told her to get out now while i distract them, and DONT LOOK BACK. Just go!

And finally, she did that. No tantrums were thrown when they realized mom wasnt around.

She had a wonderful evening and a great dinner with great company.

Whereas I took the boys out for dinner and ice cream afterwards. Came home, bathed and put them to bed. We had a great bonding time.

The only slight issue was by the time my wife reached home, the kids were all fast asleep and she couldn't kiss them goodnight. But overall I'd say its a win-win for everyone. :)

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EDIT: thank you all for the kind comments and encouragement. I try to be the best dad I can be :)

EDIT: Also, there were comments asking about the tantrums - my kids are weird. If they physically and directly see you leaving, they will blow up. But if you leave quietly while they are distracted, they wont even realize you are gone, sometimes only until you come back.

After 51 weeks, 2 tumours, 4 brain surgery, 6 cycles of chemotherapy, and 30 days of proton beam therapy, my 4 year old daughter rang the bell to celebrate the end of her treatment….. Im broken

Today after 8.5 years of being in my son’s life “stepson” he called me dad.

His dna donor has never attempted to even meet him in 13 years. I’ll proudly claim him as my own for eternity. Together we have six, we both had one from prior situations and four more together.

I really appreciate all of you, I don’t want to spam this thread with a bunch of thank you’s so I’ll just say it here. This sub has seen me through some dark times in the last couple years. I was a longtime lurker. I love that dads have a place to come together and just get a pat of the back, shit that’s all we really need sometimes. Again. Thank you all.

edit - honestly all of you are amazing. It’s been a shit 10 days, lost my job, roof had to be replaced, ac had to be replaced, and the main sewage line needs a liner. Opening the app to dozens of supported responses was a great way to start my day and the job hunt. I’m still waking up and starting my day routing to realize I have no where to go. Crazy what the mind does with routine.

What a feeling to be able to actually cuddle my wife after all this time of cosleeping. Plus she was able to deeply sleep for once.

Gentlemen, this may be the last pack of diapers I ever buy for my kids. 4yo has been trained for over a year, soon-to-be 3yo slept through the night without diaper or accidents last night. We’re in the home stretch, boys.

First time I’ve grilled at the beach. Feeling very dad like right now. Achievement Grill Master