In the dad spotlight is Benny the self proclaimed party animal that turned his back on that lifestyle to become Daddy Poppins.
Thanks for featuring in the Dad Spotlight and sharing your story. Let’s start with Daddy Poppins,tell me about your children and the party lifestyle.
Yeah, it’s true, before becoming a dad I was interested in where my next pint was coming from to be honest. I was also interested in Friday at 5ish. Bring on the weekend! Things have changed dramatically and I’ve gone from the party lifestyle to being a full time stay at home dad.
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I’ve 2 little beauties; Ben, 7 going on 14 who loves dancing and talking really loudly about minecraft. And Bella, soon to be 2. The original Boss Baby who rules the roost, sleeps when she wants and demands your phone every second of the day.
Sounds very exciting! I wish I could spend all day with my girls, how did you find the transition from working dad to stay at home?
I really enjoyed my job and it really was the toughest decision. The quality of family life didn’t work so it all worked out for the best. Don’t get me wrong, I’d like to make a sideline in blogging/social media to help out with the bank balance and have a presence on the various sites. Www.daddypoppins.com, www.twitter.com/daddypoppinsblg, and www.instagram.com/daddypoppinsireland come find me.
Oh I have already and love your content especially on Instagram. Keep up the good work! With two children that sound amazing, what was it like to bring them into this world? Did you have any complications?
I was there for both, Ben’s was an emergency c section it was scary. I was left in a corridor outside the theatre for about 5 mins (but it felt like 5 hours) and I expected the worst. Thankfully Bella was a natural birth which was a lot easier to handle (for me that is ?).
Ben’s birth was very traumatic no one can describe what’s it like. You have to go through it. The corridor was horrible and there was a moment when I thought ‘I want my child but don’t want to lose my wife’.
Sounds crazy thankfully everything went OK in the end. I saw things I really didn’t want to. So the question now is, did the traumatic birth make your relationship stronger in the first year?
OMG the first year really took our relationship to the edge. Looking back, I wish I could have got the kids to sleep earlier and have more ‘us time’ for our relationship perhaps
Ben didn’t sleep till he was 2 and a 1/2 and took us till he was 5 to have another. She’s the bloody same. Actually she’s worse.
Don’t get me wrong, everything has been so rewarding. It’s given me 3 people to live for instead of 1. You get to see your little ones grow and develop every day. Every day is great even if it doesn’t feel like it at the time some days. Becoming a father has changed my life and our relationship dramatically though for the better.
You really don’t understand how important sleep is to function until you don’t have enough! Did you get enough support in those first few years?
Kinda. I feel like it’s all a learning experience where no matter how much help and support you have you could always use more.. we don’t live near our immediate family so there was no real fallback for us.
The online community was really good for me. I’d advise dads to reach out to those around them. Oh and sign up to my site ? Did I mention it’s www.daddypoppins.com.
You did and I would suggest signing up! Based on your experience, if you could share one crucial tip for others what would it be?
Go at it with eyes wide open. You can read up as much as you like but until you’ve lived it you’ll never know
I’d completely agree with that. Being a parent is about making your own mistakes an learning right! But it’s not all difficult and even in the harshest times comes some of the funniest moments. Do you have any funny stories?
I’m on the spot now. Mmm. Yesterday I dropped Bella in to the crèche. (She’s going in for a few afternoons a week to help with routine and social skills with people her own age). The girls in the crèche gave me a funny look which I couldn’t put my finger on. So I went back to the car and started an instastory, then I spotted it…. … I was wearing one of her hair clips in my hair. (I’d tried a bit of reverse psychology earlier to get her to keep it in her hair and forgotten it was there)
Don’t forget to follow me and just remember, being a dad is like having Jet Lag with kids around 🙂
Thanks Benny, you’ve been great and give us a great overview. Keep working hard and creating amazing instagram stories. Good luck with your lovely children and fingers crossed for a few hours sleep.
If you’d like to be in the Dad Spotlight email me on CorporateDadUK@Gmail.com and I’ll send you some questions.
Keep parenting!
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Oh I have already and love your content especially on Instagram. Keep up the good work! With two children that sound amazing, what was it like to bring them into this world? Did you have any complications?
I was there for both, Ben’s was an emergency c section it was scary. I was left in a corridor outside the theatre for about 5 mins (but it felt like 5 hours) and I expected the worst. Thankfully Bella was a natural birth which was a lot easier to handle (for me that is ?).
Ben’s birth was very traumatic no one can describe what’s it like. You have to go through it. The corridor was horrible and there was a moment when I thought ‘I want my child but don’t want to lose my wife’.
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