Dads in the Limelight ( #limelightdads ) - Christian Simko ( @Christian_Simko ) #dadchat

Our 398th Dad in the Limelight is Christian Simko. I want to thank Christian for being a part of this series. It has been great getting connected with him and now sharing him with all of you.

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

My name is Christian Simko and I’m a single father to two amazing girls aged 4 and 7. I don’t know that I’d say I’m in the limelight anymore but I’m a marketing director for a mid-sized agency with a current client in the Fortune 25. Needless to say, I don’t have a robust amount of time outside of parenting and work.

2) Tell me about your family

As I said, I have two relatively small children and I’m divorced. The girls spend most of their time with me and I’m lucky to have a large family that lives close by for us to spend a good amount of time with. I have a niece that is the same age as my oldest and they’re thick as thieves. The benefit of having such a large family means there’s always a sporting event or gathering to attend and all three of us enjoy being around everyone. The girls have the luxury of their grandparents, aunts, uncles and tons of cousins to play with and learn from.

3) What has been the largest challenge you have had in being a father?

Funny, as I was coming into adulthood and knowing I wanted to be a father, I assumed the biggest challenge would be balancing work and family. My father was a race car driver and ran his own business so he was gone a fair bit. I wouldn’t call it a downfall; if anything it was a bonus for us and provided for some wonderful times. With a burgeoning career of my own at the time, in the same industry (NASCAR) no less, I was initially concerned but the minute my oldest was born it all changed. My push to be high on the evolutionary ladder of business diminished and she, and then they, became the primary focus and priority.

That’s the long way of saying my biggest challenge is teaching them how to be a part of separate homes and still feel the love they’re deserving from both places. They’re at an impressionable age, especially the younger one, and a time when they start to learn what is the right way to handle relationships with people. It’s a fine line and as a parent you have to be an expert at balancing all of it.

Christian Simko, Dad of Divas, #limelightdads, Dads in the Limelight, dadofdivas.com

4) What advice would you give to other fathers?

My advice is simple, be patient and be selfless. It’s absolutely important to take care of yourself physically and mentally but you’re crafting young minds and spirits that will continue to test you and make you more proud than you thought possible. Just be patient and let it happen.

5) How have you come to balance parenthood and outside life?

The work/family balance isn’t nearly as difficult as it once was. With technology being so prevalent in business today, working from home or on the road has become the norm. My desire is not necessarily a corner office but to be with my children as much as possible before they stop wanting me to be there for everything. Thank you technology for making that possible. My phone, iPad and laptop are my friends and they ensure that I’ll still have an income to provide for my children.

6) What have you learned from the fathers that you have interacted with?

I was asked not long ago who my role model was and to be honest I struggled to answer the question for a while. Then it hit me, “Who wasn’t?” I couldn’t ever pinpoint one specific person but I thought about all the people I’ve met and interacted with over the years, so many of them fathers, and it was all a learning experience. I’ve learned that it’s okay to put your family first, that no one will fault you for setting for priorities around little people instead of a big paycheck. I also learned that no matter your status in life, no time is a bad time to snuggle up with your kids because they don’t get status anyway. There’s so much more, I’ll need to devote a full post to it someday.

7) What else would you share regarding your experiences as a father thus far? What have been the most memorable experiences that you have had thus far as a parent?

Children are so pure of heart and mind. They do everything with the best intentions. Are they always “good,” absolutely not but they’re kids and that’s what they do. They try to do what they think is right or fun or will make us happy and all they really want is your undivided attention. Give it to them because no one else is going to for a long time. Prepare them for everything because you can never be too prepared and remind them daily that you love them. You don’t have to look too closely to know that they love you with all of their heart.

The most memorable experiences I’ve had a two-fold. One, my daughter’s first day of kindergarten was amazing. It was a terrible and wonderful mix of pride and fear. I’ll never forget how beautiful my daughter was on that day and the deer in headlights look she had when she got off the bus at the school. Magical.

The other memory is not nearly as enjoyable but I bring it up because all parents need to be ready for this, the first trip to the doctor with an injury. I took my daughter to get stitches for the first time after she fell on the playground and it was the most heartbreaking thing you can imagine. Having to hold her still while she was crying out, “Daddy! Daddy, make them stop!” Ugh, it doesn’t get any worse than that. But you need to know it’s coming because they’re kids and they all get hurt.

If you have any questions for Christian, please leave a comment here and I will make sure that he gets them so that he may be able to respond!

Also, do you know a Dad in the Limelight? If so, please email me their contact information so that they too can be a part of this series!

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