Mike Ang, the author of Love, Daddy, had a special epiphany that led to the idea for the beginnings of this book...
THOUGHTS ON FATHERHOOD
When you are just a boy, you really have no idea what it means to be a father. But it is when you become a father that you finally know what it is to be a man.
That moment hit me one bleary, sleepless night while I stood holding my newborn daughter in my arms, feeling her warm skin against mine as she lay snoring that adorable baby snore – the one that always came after a good feeding. Not to knock those of you fellas with no children, but being a father tests the boundaries of anything you have ever known and requires selflessness and discipline that cannot be found in any other vocation.
There is no greater love than being a father and no greater responsibility than raising and caring for another human being that you helped to bring into this world.
The inspiration and message
As I held her, quietly humming a late night lullaby, my thoughts wandered off and I suddenly found myself acutely aware of time and how fleeting the moments are that we all share with each other. Before I knew it, my daughter would be too heavy to hold in my arms. Before I knew it, she would be too old for playing with daddy. I thought of my own relationship with my parents and how we don’t see each other as much as we should. I pondered my growing appreciation of the valuable lessons they taught and the hours of time they spent teaching them.
It is every parent’s goal to give their children the tools to become self suffcient, but what happens after the baby bird leaves the nest?
Now that the parental shoe was on the proverbial other foot, I could see how unique and precious this moment was and how special every moment would be in the future. This inspired me to jot down the first lines of what would eventually become Love, Daddy.
“This book is, in the realest sense, a dedication to my daughter and my wishful attempt at freezing time and preserving that moment forever. It carries with it the message of hope that the love you give your children will be appreciated and remembered and that all that comes with being a parent (the good and the bad) is really worth it.”
I hope that you and your families will enjoy this book and rediscover the love and memories from your childhood and inspire you to make the most of everyday together.
Thanks for reading!