Parenting Wisdoms I've Collected From My Journey to Becoming a Father👨🏽🍼
Issue #112: Insights to help you grow, bond, and thrive as a parent. Prompting Guide for Google Gemini. Mastery is priceless.
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In my 37 years, I’ve been a lot of things: son, brother, friend, boss, husband, uncle.
Now, I’ve stepped into a new role—father.
A few weeks ago, before my son was born, I kept wondering: What’s it really like to be a parent? A father?
I mean, I have four nephews and a niece. I’ve held them, played with them, watched them grow up. So I thought I had a pretty good idea of what it feels like to hold a kid.
But nothing—nothing—could prepare me for what it felt like to witness my son’s birth and hold him in my arms for the first time.
That moment? Pure magic. It was overwhelming in the best way. In the delivery room, among all the chaos and stress, I couldn’t stop thinking about a few things:
How insanely strong women are. Seriously, it’s awe-inspiring!
How brilliantly designed we are—it’s like human engineering at its finest.
How spiritual it feels to see a life being born—a tiny human being created from a tiny little part of our body.
When I finally held him, it hit me: This is what it feels like to be a parent — being human again.
We live in a world where we’re constantly surrounded by technology, deadlines, and noise. But when you’re holding a baby—especially your own—it’s like time slows down. It humbles you. It makes you feel connected in a way that’s hard to put into words.
If you have kids (or are around any little ones), I encourage you to stop and really look at them. Notice:
How pure their body and soul are!
How being in the presence of small, pure, and delicate things—makes you so humble, kind, caring, and most importantly, human.
How smart and ready they are to learn, grow, and survive!
When I realized I had a new title—“Father”—so many people told me, Now you have to teach your child everything.
But here’s how I see it:
“When a child comes into your life, it’s not a time to become a teacher—it’s a time to start learning.”
My Favorite Parenting Wisdom and Tips for Positive Parenting
Parenting isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” journey, but along the way, I’ve picked up some lessons that have stuck with me. Here are a few of my favorites:
1: In life and work, we often set high expectations and aim for perfection. But parenting is different—it’s not about achieving a "perfect score" or outdoing others. It’s about nurturing, not competing. Do your best without burning out, and remember: expecting too much from yourself—or your child—is unfair and unhealthy for both of you.
2: We have less control over how our child will turn out than we might think, and it decreases over time. Recognizing this can help you let go and focus on guiding rather than controlling.
From 0 to 6 years: You have ~90% control.
From 6 to 12 years: It’s about 50%.
After 12: Less than 25%.
3: Raising a child is like growing a tree. The only things we need to focus on are watering it, providing care, and keeping it safe. The tree will grow on its own, at its own pace. Trust the process.
4: You are their favorite toy. No matter how many toys you buy or how much you spend, what your kids cherish most is you. Your time, love, and attention are priceless for them.
5: Let them experience life firsthand. When your kids touch or explore something, let them describe and experience it for themselves instead of jumping in with your interpretation.
6: Teach them how to find answers. When they ask questions, resist the urge to give quick answers. Instead, show them the process of discovering the answers together. Example: Why the moon is round? → Find the answer in a book, website, or YouTube.
7: Kids are sick a lot in winter—about 50% of the time. The average cold lasts 14 days, and they typically get 6–8 colds a year. So don’t panic.
8: Create memories without regrets. I loved how this actor in this movie helped his teenage daughter to make an important life decision.
"The best memories are the ones without regret. If what you’re doing now might lead to guilt later, it’s probably not the right thing to do."
9: The three golden hours. Leverage these three daily moments to bond with your kids:
Hour 1 after they wake up: Hug them, cuddle them, and tell them how much you love them.
Hour 1 after school: Show excitement, tell them you missed them, and ask about their day.
Hour 1 at bedtime: If they’ve made mistakes, use this time to guide and counsel them with love.
10: Stay calm during tantrums. When your child throws a tantrum or gets angry, don’t yell or threaten. Instead, get down to their level—kneel if you have to. This helps them feel safe and stops the intimidation cycle.
11: When you get angry or upset with kids being kids, remind yourself that you asked for this gift, and read this text.
12: The process of loving your child should be liberating, not entangling. If parents are truly concerned about their children, they must raise them in such a way that they will never have any need for the parent.
13: Relationship advice for new parents: In the excitement of welcoming a newborn, don’t lose sight of your bond with your partner. Your baby won’t remember these early years—but your partner will. Nurture your relationship as much as you nurture your little one.
14: Kids don’t listen because they’re busy watching your actions. Lead by example—what you do will always speak louder than what you say.
15: When a child enters your home, it’s time to learn, not teach. Parenting is an opportunity to rediscover life:
Learn different skills like swimming or sign language with your kids.
Learn to lose yourself in life’s simple pleasures.
Learn (and explore) what they love—not just what interests you.
Learn to laugh at little things.
Learn to be patient with your kids and gentle with yourself.
Learn to have the hearts of kids and the minds of adults.
Being a parent is a gift—a chance to learn, grow, rediscover yourself, and experience life through fresh eyes. It’s an opportunity to be reborn and relive the magic of life. Cherish it. Treasure it.
More Resources for Parents:
Here are two great Hindi podcasts for parents in India:
Also, I highly encourage you to read this guide on modern parenting challenges and solutions!
🚀 Growth Tip
ChatGPT has been my go-to AI tool for a while, but recently, I’ve started exploring Google Gemini. While Gemini still feels a bit rough around the edges, it’s hard to ignore the sheer depth of knowledge Google brings to the table—it’s unparalleled.
For this week’s growth tip, I’m sharing a handy prompting guide to help you get the most out of the Google Gemini AI tool.
🤩 Inspiration
This week, I encourage you to reflect on Derek Sivers's quote on MASTERY.
"Mastery is the best goal because the rich can't buy it, the impatient can't rush it, the privileged can't inherit it, and nobody can steal it. You can only earn it through hard work."
👋 Until next time, Anil / CEO and Co-Founder of Multidots, Multicollab, and Dotstore.
FYI…I also write about agency growth and Enterprise WordPress.
May the Peaceful Growth be with you! 🪴
Did you know that if you hit the heart ❤️ at the bottom or the top of this email, it would help others discover my tips and make me super happy? 😄
As a parent, for a few things you mention, it feels like a trip down memory lane or a peek into my diary. I’m excited to try some fresh ideas. Hold on for the chapter when they finally start talking! :D
Thanks for sharing your parenting wisdom! I’ve been using this technique every day, both in the morning and evening.
When my son Dishank wakes up, I greet him with a cheerful "Good morning," give him a kiss on the cheek, and he responds with a big smile and a "Good morning, Papa!" He gets up full of energy, gives me a tight hug, and gives three kisses—one on each cheek and one on my forehead. I return the same love and affection to him.
This moment is so special, filled with love and care, and it sets a beautiful tone for the day. Afterward, I head downstairs, and my wife does the same with him. It’s a routine that brings so much joy and connection.
I’m always trying to create more loving and memorable moments with him. I also read somewhere that in the first hour after they wake up, it’s important to hug them, cuddle them, and tell them how much you love them. I’ve been trying to make the most of that time!