How life changed since becoming a dad. Identity shifts, things you miss, things you gained, the transformation of fatherhood.
832 threads
Used to spend 2 hours at the gym 5 days a week. Had my whole identity wrapped up in being the fit guy. Now with two kids under 5 I'm lucky if I get 3 workouts in a month. My abs ar
My sister passed away 18 months ago and we took custody of her kids, ages 7 and 10. We were never planning on having kids. Our house was peaceful, our schedule was our own. Now it'
Spent 20 years as a confirmed bachelor. Had my routine, my hobbies, freedom. Met someone three years ago and suddenly I'm helping with homework, going to soccer games, dealing with
I was out 4-5 nights a week, sleeping till noon, no responsibilities. Fast forward to my daughter being born and I'm a completely different person. Can't party anymore, sleep is pr
I was that guy grinding 60+ hour weeks, always on email, missed so much. Got laid off 2 years ago and honestly it was a blessing. Now I freelance from home, make a bit less but I'm
Made the switch 8 months ago when our second was born and wife had the better job offer. I took some heat from family, especially my dad, but whatever. Miss: being able to grab lun
Just wanted to say this to someone who might get it. I was a mess in my twenties and early thirties. Couldn't keep a job, went through two failed relationships, drank every night t
I was immature, selfish, honestly kind of a jerk. Thought I had time to figure myself out. Then my ex got pregnant and I had to decide if I was going to be that guy or not. That wa
Man I can't believe how different I am now. Used to go out Thursday through Sunday, slept til noon on weekends, spent all my money on concerts and trips with the boys. Now I'm up a
I used to actually know people by their names instead of their kids' names. Now I'm that guy at soccer practice saying things like "yeah I'm Tommy's dad." Lost a lot of friendships
Used to sleep till noon on weekends, go out whenever I wanted, stay up till 2am gaming or watching movies. Now I'm up at 5 with the kids whether I want to be or not. My body clock
Before kids I'd spend hours cooking nice meals, experimenting with recipes, making everything from scratch. Now it's just me throwing chicken nuggets on a tray at 5:30pm while some
Two years ago I was 280 pounds, hadn't been to a gym in a decade, and just drank beer every night. Now I'm 210, going to the gym 4 days a week, and I haven't had a drink in 8 month
5 years ago I was in a suit working 60 hour weeks at a marketing firm making 6 figures. Super stressed, barely saw my kids, but at least I knew who I was. Now I'm a freelancer work
Married my girlfriend a year ago and took on two step kids ages 8 and 11. I went from being a single guy who thought he didn't want kids to being a full time parent overnight. It's
I don't talk about this much but I was a heavy drinker for years. Like sneaking drinks at work heavy. My kids were scared of me. Anyway I hit a breaking point 18 months ago and wen
Used to think my job was to make everyone laugh and keep things light. Realized about a year ago that I was using humor as a shield. My kids didn't need another comedian, they need
Hit my goal weight 6 months ago after two years of grinding. Everyone's congratulating me, I look better, clothes fit, way more confident physically. But here's the weird part: I d
Left my six figure job last year to move my family to a smaller town and work part time as a consultant. On paper it sounds like I downgraded but I'm actually up on everything that
Started at 245 lbs three years ago, couldn't walk up stairs without getting winded. Now I'm 185 and running 5ks. What changed was my mindset. My kid asked me to play tag with him a