“You are the most important man in your daughters’ lives.”
That’s what a friend of mine told me. She is the mother of five girls, and she mentioned a book that she read about parenting.
I ordered the book and found it helpful. I’ve spoken to some women over the years, and they too say that their fathers, or the lack of one, deeply affected their lives. As one techie at the Bessemer Oktoberfest told me about her parents’ divorce, “What you grow up with is what you think is normal for everyone.”
So, I try to be mindful of what I say and what I do. I’m a very imperfect father. But, I do try to show that I contribute around the house. I think it’s important for boys and girls to see their fathers doing “domestic” chores. I’d hate for my children to assume that fathers aren’t supposed to do much around the house.
I think parenting is a lot like leadership positions in start-ups. It’s less about what you say. It’s more about what you do.