Most men aspire to be dads, Pew research suggests. Even though parenthood is often challenging and takes a toll on parents, this doesn’t stop the majority of them from feeling excited about the prospect of it. For some, this joy continues long after welcoming a new life into the world, proving that being a dad is completely worth it.
Just take a look at these fathers from the awesome “Daddit” community, who share their proudest moments and the rewards of being in such a role. Scroll down to see the most wholesome and silly pictures, showing us just how gratifying fatherhood really can be.
While you’re at it, don’t forget to check out a conversation with dad bloggers Paul Zalewski and Brent Almond, who kindly agreed to tell us more about their experiences being fathers.
#1 Saw This In Another Sub And Struck Me As A Good Idea. Thought I’d Share Here
Image credits: livefast6221
#2 An Accidental Home Birth! (Full Story In Comments)
3.5 weeks early, we were not expecting it. Especially after 2 late babies. Contractions were too short, assumed they were Braxton Hicks (pre-contractions leading up to the real ones)…. Right up until it was too late. I think we have a couple of hours so I’m packing bags as she yells at me to call 911. Yep, we’ve got a head.
On the line with dispatch, we threw clean towels down in the bathtub and I’m helping her breathe and focus while she starts to push. Two pushes. That’s it. This kid knew it was his time. So yeah, we’re delivering a baby in a bathtub as we waited on EMS. I’m walking through a worst case checklist— if the sac doesn’t rupture do I sterilize some scissors with rubbing alcohol? How quickly can I clear an airway? Bulb syringe? Heaven forbid the cord is wrapped …Y’all it was the smoothest birth we could have asked for. Color was great, I flipped him over and thumped/rubbed his back— he coughed up the fluid and started crying right away. We had about 10 minutes alone with him wrapped in a towel to just take in whatever the fk just happened. It was beautiful.
EMS arrives, it’s a lot of large mustachioed firemen who had never been on a childbirth call… but they at least clamped and cut the cord and took my wife in an ambulance while I followed. Absolute miracle… our amateur APGAR assessment was like a 9 and SAT levels 100 when we got admitted. An ounce shy of 6lbs— he’s doing great.
Image credits: wtharmon25
#3 Our Princess Gets Discharged Tomorrow! She Had Her First Round Of Chemo Tuesday And Rocked It. We Also Found Out Yesterday Her Spinal Tap Showed Zero Signs Of Cancer In Her Spinal Cord And Brain
Image credits: WantedDadorAlive
When asked about the most rewarding part of being a dad, Paul joked, saying, “By far, when my kids laugh at my dad jokes.” He and another fellow father, John, went searching for resources when they became new dads, and what they found were hundreds of mommy blogs. In the end, they were able to find some of the dad blogs too, but there was nothing that appealed to them.
With their company, Fathercraft, they guide parents with trusted sources that help them through their journey. “While we create with dads in mind, our readers include moms, aunts, uncles, and grandparents,” their website reads.
#4 Unsure If Any Fellow Dads Here Are Celebrating, But Happy World Down Syndrome Day From My Family To Yours ??
Image credits: TheDreamLightDude
#5 7 Years, Many Miscarries, And 1 Stillborn, I'm Finally A Dad
Image credits: Cptsnuggles21
#6 Excellent Dadding Spotted In The Wild
Image credits: S_Insley_H
On a more serious note, the most rewarding thing for him was watching his kids learn to solve problems and use skills they gradually picked up through life to do something new. “Maybe a few of those came from me, but what's really amazing is watching how their brain can combine life experiences and lessons to do something new.”
“When my son was younger, I loved getting to share the things I’m passionate about and seeing them with a new perspective through his eyes,” shares Brent, aka Designer Daddy. “Now that he’s a teenager, it’s such a joy to see what he’s become passionate about, and getting to experience those things with him.”
#7 I Let My 6yr Old Choose The Shower Curtain
Image credits: Enough-Ad3818
#8 Hey Dads! I Went Back To School With My Son. We Just Graduated With Engineering Degrees!
Image credits: mkrjoe
#9 My Daughter Is Officially In Remission! We Have A Long Few Years Ahead To Keep The Cancer At Bay, But It's Working!
Image credits: hajawr12
Brent is a husband, a stay-at-home dad raising an adopted son, and writing about his life and LGBTQ issues in general. Professionally, he is nearing the third decade of being a graphic designer and illustrator. The combination of the two resulted in the Designer Daddy blog, which is full of color and creativity.
#10 My Daughter And Her Favorite Doll
Image credits: iamfuckked
#11 The Adoption Is Final! Welcome Home Baby Girl, Welcome To Forever!
Image credits: ChrisHammer94
#12 Today Marks My Last Day Working Out Of Town In The Oilfields. I've Carried My Daughter's Sock Everyday To Remind Me Why I Was Sacrificing Time Away From Her
Image credits: havik09
There’s no denying that parenthood is a life-changing experience, and Brent completely agrees. “If anyone tells you becoming a parent didn’t change them, they’re lying!” he exclaims. “For me, it heightened every one of my emotions and personality traits (both good and bad). Joy, anger, pride, sadness, worry, and excitement — all were amplified when I became responsible for this little human.”
#13 That 1% Chance Baby Made It Home And Into My Arms! We Couldn't Be Happier
Image credits: Lonogg
#14 18 Weeks Old, Got Her First Prosthetic. Happy To Be Part Of The Club!
Image credits: [deleted]
#15 Lpt: Remember To Keep Emergency Outfits Stashed In All Of Your Vehicles
Image credits: Coelrom
Meanwhile, Paul thinks of himself as the same guy he was before, only with more perspective on what matters and shifted priorities. “I'm someone who likes to work, and my job means a lot to me.
It still does, and I still log time on my computer when the kids are asleep, but it's amazing when you come home after a hard day and work and interacting with your kids makes you realize — they don't care that I feel like I screwed up doing blah blah at work today... they want me to be their dad and play with them and make mac 'n cheese. That's good for setting my brain straight,” he shares.
#16 I Think This Is The Best Picture I've Ever Got ❤️ My Boy Is 3 1/2 My Girl Is 5 Weeks ?
Image credits: R4TTIUS
#17 I Lol’d So Hard When I Opened This Changing Table
Image credits: BaldingAndLovingIt
#18 You Love To See It
Image credits: skuzzlebutt420
To anyone who is preparing to be a first-time dad, Brent recommends doing research in whatever way works for them so they’re not going into it blind. It could be reading books, listening to podcasts, or talking to friends and family. “But then don’t overthink it — because you’ll freak yourself out. Your instincts will kick in, and you’ll do great!” he reassures.
#19 This Is My Boy N. He Might Not Look It, But Is 25. He Has Nonverbal Autism. Shoutout To All The Other Special Needs Dads Out There!
Image credits: Joesdad65
#20 My Wife Helped A Couple Become Fathers And Delivered Last Thursday
Image credits: benstrikesback
#21 How Far We’ve Come. Born At 33 Weeks Weighing 3 Lbs To Now Over 10 Lbs. Still On The Small Side But She Keeps Growing And That’s All That Matters
Image credits: dicksledgehammer
Paul seconds this by saying, “A little dad education can go a long way in making you more confident, which in turn can make this whole parenting thing feel a little bit easier and a lot more rewarding.
There are a ton of great resources out there. Go to your local bookstore and find a book on being a dad that speaks to you. Cruise YouTube and look for baby product reviews that make you realize some of these baby gadgets are kinda cool, or talk to a friend who had a kid a bit older than yours. You might learn something, and it might help you enjoy the journey (even more).”
#22 Thanks, Apple. I’ll Let Her Know
Image credits: Parelius
#23 After 2 Years Of Being A Foster I Am Now A Full Fledged Legal Daddy
Image credits: crxdc0113
#24 Son's First Dental Visit And He Looks Ready To Drop A Mix Tape
Image credits: jollyreaper2112
Even though Paul mentions that fatherhood will probably always be challenging, it’s important to pause and reflect. Yes, even when you’re lacking sleep and can’t figure out how to calm the baby or when the big kid figures out how to drag out the bedtime by an extra 30 minutes.
“It's all worth it,” he says. “I try to remember that even 2 minutes can make a difference in the lives of my kids… If I'm willing to step away from what I'm doing to push them on the swing or get a tour of the block house they made ... or heck, even snuggle up and watch a 7-minute-long Bluey episode together ... those things matter.”
#25 I Have To Brag Because I'm So Damn Proud Of Her
Image credits: gorillagargoyle
#26 My Wife Found My AirPods
Image credits: libovness
#27 My Son Graduated From Middle School Yesterday! I'm Very Proud Of Him, And I Know His Mom Looking Down At Him Proud Of Him, Now He A Step Closer To The Big League!! It's Hard Raising A Kid In Today's Time But I'm A Oldschool Parent Think God, So He Going To Be Great!! ?????
Image credits: JoJoTheGemini80
Brent signed off by highlighting the importance of having a support system for fathers. "Society is better set up for moms to network, socialize, and support one another.
A lot of fathers feel isolated and can suffer both mentally and physically as a result. Take care of yourself by seeking friends, mentors, relatives, therapists, or support groups (in person or online) to help share the burden and offer encouragement."
#28 6-Yo Daughter Wanted To Type On My Laptop. After I Got Her To Bed, I Opened It Up To Find This
Image credits: aerorich
#29 Fixed The Branding On The Baby’s Bathtub
Image credits: Sirbrianpeppers
#30 For All The Dads Of Little Ones, I Present My Favorite Picture:
Image credits: dadwithoutaplan
#31 My Daughter Yelled For Me To Come Quick Because The “Toilet Is Smoking!”
Image credits: Echo_Red
#32 The Worst Game Of Charades
Image credits: DukeMacManus
#33 Yesterday, I Was Granted Full Physical Custody Of My 13 Year Old Daughter! I'm On Top Of The World Right Now ?
Image credits: eyehartraydio
#34 After Two Weeks In The Nicu We Are Finally Going Home
Image credits: lsass
#35 I'm Not Crying [humor]
Image credits: SEOip
#36 The Look On Her Face Makes Every Day Worth While
Image credits: sweetzombiejesus9
#37 This Is Me
Image credits: drawntosenia
#38 I Just Delivered Our Baby In The Backseat Of The Car
Image credits: SwedishDrummer
#39 "Put This On Reddit And He’ll Be A Meme In 24 Hours"
Image credits: pesqules
#40 I Like To Think I've Reached Peak Dad Here. Arrived At Airport 4 Hours Ahead Of Time
Image credits: Thrillhouse763
#41 Little Man Is Cooler Than I Ever Will Be
Image credits: wreckupotamus
#42 Dave Grohl, Fellow Father
Image credits: cotastrophy17
#43 This Got Me 10 Minutes Of Laying Down Time
Image credits: AAMeye
#44 It’s My Son’s 2nd Birthday Today. What Do Y’all Think?
Image credits: arkol3404
#45 First Time She's Fallen Asleep Against My Chest. I Love Her So Much
Image credits: mrprincepercy
#46 Well I Finally Finished It Solo. The Slide Made Me Angry But My Kid Loves It So
Image credits: ragingseaturtle
#47 How I Eat Candy Around My Kids
Image credits: No_Brilliant_638
#48 I'm 38
Image credits: freefergi
#49 My Wife Bought A Grey Canopy For Our Daughter's Stroller And I Could Not Resist The Temptation To Recreate The Rhino Scene From Ace Ventura For Her 1 Month Birthday Pics
Image credits: zombiechuck01
#50 "I'll Add It To The List Of Other Things To Watch But Will Never Get To I Guess..."
Image credits: Throne0fBlood
