Celebrate Fatherhood: What's Truly Important in Life | Guestpost by Daddy Wayne in Charleston, South Carolina

Sakura Haruka is not a blog just about celebrating motherhood. It shares the joys {& frustrations!} of parenting and of families as a whole. Inspired by my hubby's thoughts on being a dad, Celebrate Fatherhood is thus a monthly series where daddies from all walks of life share insights about what fatherhood means to them, and how we can appreciate their role in a family too.

I sincerely thank all those who took the time to guest post for me. Most of those I approached were very supportive and enthusiastic about this new series, sharing my belief that being an involved dad, and getting the dads involved, is important in building a strong family. If you have a story to share, please email me at sakuraharuka {at} live {dot} com.

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The moment a child came into my life, the sense of responsibility at first seemed overwhelming. To know that a young person is dependent on you not for just food and shelter but also for love and guidance is a most daunting feeling. It filled me with a sense of duty, one that I was not sure I was ready or able to fulfill but knew I had to make every single effort to fulfill not because I had to but rather because the love compelled me to do so.

Fatherhood has opened my eyes to what is truly important in life. What are important are the smiles and the laughs that are a result of my providing a caring and nurturing environment. My priorities are ensuring that I am working to create opportunities for my children. That I am supporting them and giving them the chance to be successful in life in whatever they choose to be. I want to provide a household where they will be challenged to be thinkers. I want to provide an example for them of what it means to make appropriate sacrifices for the greater good.

I enjoy fatherhood but there is a tremendous amount of responsibility that comes with it. It saddens me to think of how many men abdicate that responsibility. They are missing out on the benefits that come with making good on one’s role. The satisfaction of watching as your child learns to ride a bike or read a book. The fulfillment that comes from seeing them graduate and become happy and productive young people. It is not a trade I would make for anything in the world.

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Wayne Smith is married to Heather and is a loving dad to Robyn, Liam and Eric. An avid traveler, he lives in Charleston, South Carolina USA, and blogs about his musings related to higher education, tourism and anything else that comes to mind. He has published over 75 pieces {journal articles, book reviews & conference proceedings} since 2004 and is now an Associate Professor at one of the universities there.

Sometimes I feel to that we get so caught up in the mad rat race and just trying to survive each day that we forget to find joy in the simple things of life. Watching our kids take their first step, getting a hug at the end of hard work day, kissing them good night... these are the simple pleasures of being a parent and some things that we should try not to miss out on. Don't be so caught up trying to provide a good life for your family, that you fail to enjoy it with them too.

Read all Celebrate Fatherhood posts here.

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