Dads in the Limelight ( #limelightdads )- Chris Nichols ( @rated4andup ) #dadchat

1) Tell me about yourself, (as well as how you are in the limelight for my readers knowledge)

I’m a 38 year old father of 1 awesome little boy, PJ.  I live in Fort Wayne, Indiana where I’m a Business Analyst in my day job.  At night; I like to spend time writing about the adventures of being a dad, as well as connecting with other like-minded people.  I do my writing over at www.rated4andup.com as well as my facebook page www.facebook.com/Rated4AndUp. @rated4andup on Twitter

At this time I am married and have one son, PJ.  My wife and I were married in 2001 and unfortunately we are currently separated.  My son is the light that keeps me waking up in the mornings.  He has been the best therapist anyone can ask for.  When I’m feeling down, he’s there to cheer me up.

I think the biggest challenge of being a father has been the constant learning curve.  Early on, I had to admit that I don’t know everything there is to know about being a dad.  However; I keep putting in the effort, and through experience and research I continue to improve every day.  What I lack in knowledge I definitely try to make up in enthusiasm.

Enjoy the time you have with your kids.  Think of it as an adventure you’re going on together, with your kids.  As they grow and learn, so do you.  Parenting is the true School of Hard Knocks.  You get out of it what you put into it.

I wouldn’t consider myself in the limelight, unless you ask my son.  He thinks I’m pretty great 😉  I think the work/life balance is tough, especially when your kids are young.  You really don’t want to spend ANY time away from them if you can avoid it.  I think I have tried to put my family first when it comes to spending time with them and being involved.  I can always get another job, but I only have one shot at being a good dad.

I am constantly learning from the dads I interact with via the dadbloggers group on Facebook.  This diverse group of voices have experienced a wide range of parenting dilemmas and are never afraid to give their two cents.

Being a father is far better than I could have ever expected it would be.  There’s just an unmatched feeling of satisfaction when your son learns something new and you know you played a role in them learning it.

There are far too many memorable experiences to list.  All of the “firsts” have been memorable of course.  Things like first steps, first words, first solid-ish foods and the first swim lessons are great memories.  I think one of the most memorable for me was his birth.  Not just because it was the most amazing sight to see, but because I have an unbelievable picture of him being taken out via c-section, feet still inside.  The most memorable non-birth events for me were the times I spent in the recliner with PJ feeding him his bottle before bed when he was a baby.  He would finish the bottle and fall asleep in my arms.  Nothing can compare to that.  I feel like there is a new memorable event every single day, even if it wasn’t the most positive event.