Welcome, all rookie dads and soon-to-be fathers, to one of life's most incredible journeys! You've stepped into a world filled with love, joy, and countless priceless moments (and diapers). As you embark on this heartwarming adventure, we're here to offer you some advice for new dads to help you navigate the beautiful path of fatherhood.
Those adorable tiny humans will look up to you with eyes full of wonder. The best new-dad advice anyone can give you is to be prepared for the unexpected. Babies can surprise you at every turn — whether it's the first diaper explosion or the first time they grab your finger, every moment will be filled with love. It will be chaotic but rewarding. Another piece of golden advice for first-time dads: be present. Your tiny human needs your love and attention more than anything in the world. Give them your time. Soak up every giggle, grab every moment their tiny hand reaches for yours, and record every milestone. As the saying goes: they grow up too fast. Before you know it, those tiny hands will be reaching for independence.
We looked at Reddit to bring you the best advice for new dads. These new-dad tips cover everything from how to feed babies to silly things you can do to bond with your baby. A lot of them will tell you to embrace multitasking and get cozy with the concept of power napping to make up for the sleepless nights. We even found some tips for new fathers that'll teach you how to save money.
Fatherhood is a journey of growth. No one has it down perfectly. These tips on being a new dad will help you navigate fatherhood better. So, dear new dads, embrace the adventure ahead with open arms. Create memories and treasure the small moments. Dive into our new-dad advice to learn from the pros:
#1
"Get in shape now. You'll be carrying a lot more stuff and will be chasing your kid around soon enough."
chizkelly replied:
"This is underrated. Work on your core strength, back, and stamina."
"This is underrated. Work on your core strength, back, and stamina."
35points
#2
"Don't presume that you're going to 'create' your child's personality; that stuff comes factory-installed!"
bigfish42 replied:
"The best advice I got: Kids are like a bonsai tree. You can't change what kind of tree they are, and they're going to grow, but you can encourage that growth in some places and discourage it in others."
"The best advice I got: Kids are like a bonsai tree. You can't change what kind of tree they are, and they're going to grow, but you can encourage that growth in some places and discourage it in others."
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35points
#3
"Just hug them. There's never a wrong time."
insertcaffeine replied:
"Yes! You cannot spoil a baby with too much love. It is impossible."
"Yes! You cannot spoil a baby with too much love. It is impossible."
35points
#4
"Spend as much time as you can with your kids. They grow up so fast."
PM_ME_UR_Definitions replied:
"And don't feel like you have to make all your time 'quality time'. It's ok for your kids to just be with while you're doing chores, or just vegging out playing video games or whatever. It's better to spend time together doing something stupid than stress out trying to make everything perfect."
"And don't feel like you have to make all your time 'quality time'. It's ok for your kids to just be with while you're doing chores, or just vegging out playing video games or whatever. It's better to spend time together doing something stupid than stress out trying to make everything perfect."
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32points
#5
"Your wife/partner will most likely be absolutely tired. Try and give her regular breaks by taking the baby for a walk or to the shops. This is good baby bonding time for you too."
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32points
#6
"Try teach your child as much as possible from as young as you can. They will ask a million questions because everything is brand new and interesting to them. So many parents I've seen just ignore kids or tell them to be quiet when they feel like they keep asking questions, but they are missing out on so many teachable moments!
Everything you do is something they can learn. If you go outside with them and you see a cool bug, google it and explain what it is. When you are cooking, let them follow the recipe with you and see how it's done. When it's time to shave, let them watch. All of this will leave a massive impression on them, and will lead to so many good memories later."
30points
#7
"Eat well and back off bad food... this is modeling for your kids."
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28points
#10
"Every baby is an individual. Do not compare your baby with other babies, everyone progresses at a different pace. My neighbor's daughter could point at her nose at 8 months. My son couldn't. But he could hit her in the nose. Then she cried. Then he cried. Fun times all around."
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26points
#11
"On girls... you are the first man she will love, show her what love is, what love means, and what she should look for in those that will love her. In the end, she will probably find someone to marry who is just like you in many ways... be the example."
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26points
#12
"Don't be a sissy, if the kid falls and it's only a scratch, don't freak out, it will scare them and make them anxious. Kid needs to trust you, so the scratch becomes a valuable lesson and not a lifelong trauma."
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25points
#13
"My dad just passed a month ago and we didn't talk much on the phone, but we were the same way - just not big phone talkers. We live about 5 hours apart and I saw him 5-10 times a year.
He and I had the best, longest conversation ever a couple of weeks before he passed, and had said before we got off the phone, "You know, just because we don't talk on the phone a lot doesn't mean I don't think about you a lot and I love you."
I found out my wife and I were pregnant the day after he passed.
Definitely looking forward to being a dad."
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22points
#14
"Don't shake the baby. They can be very irritating. Just don't do it. Put them down somewhere safe like a crib and walk away."
Defizzstro replied:
"Got back from deployment and I tried to take care of the kids while my wife took a shower and relaxed. Both of them were crying just because they’re kids you know? My wife walked into the living room and I was just crying while holding the kids so they wouldn’t run amuck. Your comment is super important to me because I can easily get frustrated. Gotta walk away sometimes."
"Got back from deployment and I tried to take care of the kids while my wife took a shower and relaxed. Both of them were crying just because they’re kids you know? My wife walked into the living room and I was just crying while holding the kids so they wouldn’t run amuck. Your comment is super important to me because I can easily get frustrated. Gotta walk away sometimes."
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21points
#15
"Be consistent with what you tell your kids. Whatever you promise, you must do it, even if it's something you didn't mean to. When you say no TV, then it's no TV. Don't give them excuses. If you promise TV time, you better have 2 TVs ready because if one breaks down you have a spare."
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20points
#16
"If any of you both are bilingual, start to speak both languages from the beginning."
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20points
#18
"Don't ever bust on people for their jobs. Show your kids that you support the person behind the fast food counter, the guy who changes the oil, etc. Your manners and your example will be thoroughly imitated by your kids."
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17points
#19
"Brand new dads. Be aware the first month or so might suck for you. The baby doesn't do much but eat, cry, and poop. You're mostly just a diaper changer for now. Don't worry, you didn't mess up by deciding to have a kid. This is not your life, it's just for now. It gets better."
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17points
#20
"It doesn't matter if you have a horrible singing voice, sing to your child."
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17points