Everything in my brain got rewired after becoming a dad | DadHQ

Everything in my brain got rewired after becoming a dad

5d ago1 min read

I used to make major decisions based on what I wanted. New job? Take it if the money was good. Wanted to travel? Booked a ticket. Now literally everything is filtered through how it affects the kids. Should I take that promotion? How much more time would it steal? Want to go somewhere? Can we afford a babysitter? It's not a bad thing exactly but I don't even know what I want anymore versus what I think I should want. My identity just kind of shifted without my permission.

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Comments(6)

CChris T.Regular3d ago

Yeah everything changes when you become a dad. My wife will be talking about something and I'm already thinking about how it affects the kids, our schedule, their needs. It's not a bad thing though - it just means you're thinking about more than just yourself now. That's growth.

SSteve C.Regular5d ago

This is the realest thing about being a dad honestly. The decision-making process completely changes and you find out you're okay with that.

CChristopher M.New Dad5d ago

Yeah it's wild how your brain just rewires itself. Every choice becomes about what's best for them instead of just what you want.

RRick M.Regular4d ago

This hits home hard. I used to think about my next career move and what would make me the most money. Now I'm turning down opportunities that would mean more travel because I don't want to miss my kids' stuff. The rewiring is real and honestly it's made me a better person.

CChris M.Regular3d ago

The brain rewiring is real. I notice I'm way more risk-averse now. Used to be all about the adventure and the what-ifs. Now every decision gets filtered through the lens of whether it's good for my family. Some people might see that as losing freedom but I see it as gaining purpose.

PParkerNew Dad5d ago

This is exactly it. I turned down a promotion because it would have meant less time at home and my kids are only young once. Past me would have laughed at present me but past me didn't understand what actually matters.