We’re having a baby! My wife is pregnant with our first baby and I am ecstatic. I also couldn’t be more nervous. I don’t know the first thing about parenthood, I’ve spent my life building things, not learning how to be a dad. I wish they had taught us life skills like this in school. How am I supposed to raise a baby when I’ve literally never even held one before? The only thing I do is build stuff and spend my time at the Hampton hardware store. I’m nervous.
At this stage, the best thing I can do for my future baby is to build the baby a cot. That’s something I’d be able to do really well, and I could make one that is a lot better quality than the ones in the store, and for a quarter of the price. But that doesn’t help me learn how to raise a child… help.
I’ve let my wife know that I’m pretty nervous (albeit excited) about our new child, because communication is key to any solid relationship. She was the one who proposed the idea that I build the furniture my child will use for the first year of my baby’s life. She said it could be a good way to feel connected to my child and know that I can handle the bundle of joy that’s coming. After our conversation, I went out the very next morning and bought heaps of timber supplies. Cheltenham stores, thankfully, had everything I needed, which I think is a good sign. Maybe parenting will be easier than I thought. I’m going to start building my child’s cot tomorrow. I’m also going to build a changing station, shelves and storage for my child, so that everything in my child’s room is connected to me in some way.
I already love my child, and I hope that my experience working with hardware makes my child’s life better. I really hope I can be the best dad possible.