#tdo-011

I don’t know when it will be, but I eagerly await the day I become a father. 

There’s something mystical about the thought of being a dad and I smile at how exciting it will be to raise and nurture the future Otoshi generation to come.

Even though I’m only 24 and have been out of the romance scene for about 95% of that time, I still think deeply and often about what it means to be a parent. 

To me, parenting is one of the most important concepts to be conscious of because there’s immense responsibility in raising a child. In the first few years of a child’s development, they’ll watch every movement and action, observing what we do as a frame of reference for their future. Even when we’re not conscious about what we’re doing, they’re still watching and trying to mimic and memorize our behaviors. 

We’re under the spotlight at all times.

But even through such responsibility, I look forward to the moment that a child starts to form their own opinions and interests. The first time they choose a favorite that’s different from my own. The first time they’re able to have a conversation with me and truly understand what we’re talking about. Or the first time they say, “dad, do you want to teach me how to ride a bike?”  I look forward to many first-moments to come~

I think the societal roles of what parents are supposed to be // act has shaped the minds of many toward forms of discipline and authority. In much of parental portrayal in the media, there’s a sense that the parent knows best, and that the kid better listen, or else be grounded, lose privileges, or the infamous, “go to your room!”.

But I really don’t get that approach and don’t feel it’s best for supporting a child’s happiness, motivations, and success. To me, being a parent is about letting a child grow to the best of their ability in the areas that bring them the most joy and smiles.

As a future father, I want to support a child in whatever sparks their interest. To teach them that dreaming big and doing what they love is exactly what they should do in this world that often says the opposite. When they find a new passion and want to learn something new, instead of telling them to do it from afar, I’ll join be joining in and we’ll learn together. 

I think one of the greatest gifts about children is getting to watch their development and having the chance to learn along side them. It’s the joy of learning from an entirely different person with interests, mindsets, and perspectives all their own — figuring it all out for the very first time.

As future Papa Otoshi, my goal is that a child will far surpass me in every way. That as I grow old and gray, they’ll take the skills and talents I once learned and develop them further than I ever could myself. 

I look forward to the day they beat me in a video game. The moment where they surpass me at one of my greatest passions. I’ll probably cry, and I’ll be so proud of them~

I want to be a father who is supportive, attentive, and pays attention to a child’s likes and interests. Who cooks them breakfast each morning with a smiley face of ketchup on their eggs. Who doesn’t just tell them how to do the homework, but sits alongside and helps them figure it out on their own. Who demonstrates that following one’s passions are more than just ok, and definitely preferred. And who actually wants to play Pokemon with them and help in catching them all, ( however many thousands of eevee evolutions by then ).