One of the lost opportunities in learning and life is not sharing enough about ourselves. I wear a few different hats: husband, father and assistant principal being the main three. These are the things that I wish people knew about me broken down over three blog posts, one on each of the three main hats I wear. The final post, Jeff Lahey, father.
I wish people knew that being a dad never scared me. I think it's cliche almost to say that becoming a parent scares you. Truth is, I felt (and still feel) well prepared. The three most exciting days of my life were the day I got married, the day my son was born, and the day we met our daughter in Guangzhou, China. I never felt overwhelmed, only overjoyed. I often wonder if it's because I grew in a family that fostered so many children on their way to being adopted. Either way, it's not something to be afraid of or nervous about. I wish people knew being a dad is not a great responsibility, it's the ultimate responsibility. My kids constantly look at me to guide their lives. You can hear the things I say come out during their pretend play. You can see their body language reflecting my own in certain situations and the list could go on forever. My kids look to me as a role model, it's important I'm there to be one. I wish people knew that being an assistant principal actually makes it harder to discipline your own kids. I'm not exactly sure how to explain this one other than to say I tend to have more patience for the kids I work with than the kids I live with. I wish people knew that having a "blended" family makes for some amazing learning experiences. Most of you are aware that my daughter is adopted, but you may not realize we adopted out of birth order. This means we had our son first but adopted a child older than he is. It's amazing how much I have learned from their interactions with each other and just how much of a child's life can empower an adult. Finally, I wish my children knew that all the struggles, redirections and everything else that comes with being "dad" are more than worth it for those moments when they ask if they can sit in my lap and read a book or snuggle up with me in my chair or on the couch. It's all worth it and I wouldn't trade any of it for the world.
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January 2020
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