Post by rockinronnie on Feb 28, 2014 21:35:21 GMT
www.express.co.uk/posts/view/252949/I-ve-finally-learned- how-to-be-a-dad I’VE FINALLY LEARNED HOW TO BE A DAD
Rick Parfitt loves spending time with Tommy and Lily, his children with his third wife Lyndsay
With Father’s Day approaching, Status Quo’s Rick Parfitt, 62, explains what his three-year-old twins have taught him about life...
If anyone had said to me a few years back that by 60 I would meet the woman of my dreams and be a father all over again I would have thought they were mad.
This is the third time I’ve been a husband and a father but the first time I’ve really been there and watched my miracle babies grow.
When I had my two eldest sons I was still young and bound up with my career. Status Quo was taking off and my life centred on the band. I didn’t have the time or want to be bothered with the details of their everyday life. I was rarely at home and if I was I was out of my head on drugs and booze. I’m sad to say I don’t remember much of Richard and Harry’s earlier days.
Things like nappies, first words, homework or even being accessible for love and discipline went out of the tour bus window. Don’t get me wrong, I took good care of everyone’s material needs, just not the emotional ones.
In those days life as a rock and roll dad was tough. We were on the road for seven or eight months of the year, touring the world and living a life of excess. It was a marriage-buster and a home-wrecker.
Both of my previous marriages failed and Richard, who is 36, and Harry, who is 22, naturally distanced themselves from me.
Am I proud of that? Of course not. Now I’m older and wiser and I bitterly regret our lost time together. You can’t turn the clock back and that’s how it was as a successful rock star living the dream. It was the only life I knew.
Today I have the benefit of looking at my past parenting mistakes through the lens of experience and won’t be making the same ones with Lily and Tommy. Today is a different story. I may have lost my two eldest sons as toddlers but I’m so lucky in that we’ve since found each other. Today we are closer than ever and both Harry and Richard have been a great influence on me. They’ve matured into two lovely boys and I am very proud of them.
Meeting Lyndsay, who is 51, was the turning point in my life. She’s made me grow up and for the first time in my life I feel like a full-on husband and hands-on dad.
So why did I want to become a father again? I wanted to do the right thing by Lyndsay who had not had children (she became pregnant through IVF aged 48). Also when we met I finally found the peace and contentment I’d been searching for.
Up to that point my personal life had been a shambles and she rescued me.
I thoroughly recommend late fatherhood. This time round it feels so right and like many older fathers I’ve proved to be a much better parent in later life than I was to my sons.
I admit at my age it’s not easy when it comes to sleepless nights but I’m taking it all in my stride. I’m having a ball as an older father and it’s put a spring in my step.
No doubt there will be some people who disapprove of a man fathering a child in his 60s but the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.
I’ve grown up and realise what the most important things in life are – love, good health and family. I understand what being a dad really means. It’s showing your love through sleepless nights, changing nappies and altering your life so you can be there for the kids.
In the three years I’ve spent as an older dad I have finally discovered true happiness and contentment and I am doing all the things I should have done years ago. I am more settled, more patient and more confident and tolerant. I make more time to spend with the family and enjoy nothing more than sitting watching the kids playing. Unfortunately it’s also made me realise what I’ve missed out on.
It doesn’t sound very rock and roll but now I rarely drink except for the odd glass of wine. I don’t smoke and the only pills I take are aspirin and vitamins. I’ve completely changed my lifestyle and no way would I go back to how it was. It was fun at the time but I didn’t appreciate the harm I was doing to my health or my family.
I would be lying though if I didn’t say there are a few disadvantages to being an older dad. The first is the sheer energy requirement in raising twin toddlers, especially when you are kicking a football about in the garden.
I love being a dad to two bright and energetic kids but together they need more than just double the energy of one. Having twins also means double of everything, cuddles, attention, time and toys.
Then there’s the sleep deprivation that comes with toddlers but it’s a very small price to pay for the sheer joy they bring us.
There are awkward moments when you’re an older father. Lyndsay and I were having lunch with the twins near our home in Spain recently when a woman complimented us on our beautiful, well-behaved grandchildren. We just laughed. There is also one other unavoidable disadvantage and that’s the worry of not being around to reach certain milestones in our children’s lives.
M y father was around to see my success and he was so proud. If I could see the twins reach 21 or even see them make their own successes then I’ll be a very happy man. All I want is for my kids to be happy, healthy and to know who they are.
The most important lesson I’ve learnt from being an older and wiser father? No matter how old you are a good dad is a good dad.
Read more: www.express.co.uk/posts/view/252949/I-ve-finally-learned- how-to-be-a-dadI-ve-finally-learned-how-to-be-a-dad#ixzz1PX11WQex
Rick Parfitt loves spending time with Tommy and Lily, his children with his third wife Lyndsay
With Father’s Day approaching, Status Quo’s Rick Parfitt, 62, explains what his three-year-old twins have taught him about life...
If anyone had said to me a few years back that by 60 I would meet the woman of my dreams and be a father all over again I would have thought they were mad.
This is the third time I’ve been a husband and a father but the first time I’ve really been there and watched my miracle babies grow.
When I had my two eldest sons I was still young and bound up with my career. Status Quo was taking off and my life centred on the band. I didn’t have the time or want to be bothered with the details of their everyday life. I was rarely at home and if I was I was out of my head on drugs and booze. I’m sad to say I don’t remember much of Richard and Harry’s earlier days.
Things like nappies, first words, homework or even being accessible for love and discipline went out of the tour bus window. Don’t get me wrong, I took good care of everyone’s material needs, just not the emotional ones.
In those days life as a rock and roll dad was tough. We were on the road for seven or eight months of the year, touring the world and living a life of excess. It was a marriage-buster and a home-wrecker.
Both of my previous marriages failed and Richard, who is 36, and Harry, who is 22, naturally distanced themselves from me.
Am I proud of that? Of course not. Now I’m older and wiser and I bitterly regret our lost time together. You can’t turn the clock back and that’s how it was as a successful rock star living the dream. It was the only life I knew.
Today I have the benefit of looking at my past parenting mistakes through the lens of experience and won’t be making the same ones with Lily and Tommy. Today is a different story. I may have lost my two eldest sons as toddlers but I’m so lucky in that we’ve since found each other. Today we are closer than ever and both Harry and Richard have been a great influence on me. They’ve matured into two lovely boys and I am very proud of them.
Meeting Lyndsay, who is 51, was the turning point in my life. She’s made me grow up and for the first time in my life I feel like a full-on husband and hands-on dad.
So why did I want to become a father again? I wanted to do the right thing by Lyndsay who had not had children (she became pregnant through IVF aged 48). Also when we met I finally found the peace and contentment I’d been searching for.
Up to that point my personal life had been a shambles and she rescued me.
I thoroughly recommend late fatherhood. This time round it feels so right and like many older fathers I’ve proved to be a much better parent in later life than I was to my sons.
I admit at my age it’s not easy when it comes to sleepless nights but I’m taking it all in my stride. I’m having a ball as an older father and it’s put a spring in my step.
No doubt there will be some people who disapprove of a man fathering a child in his 60s but the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.
I’ve grown up and realise what the most important things in life are – love, good health and family. I understand what being a dad really means. It’s showing your love through sleepless nights, changing nappies and altering your life so you can be there for the kids.
In the three years I’ve spent as an older dad I have finally discovered true happiness and contentment and I am doing all the things I should have done years ago. I am more settled, more patient and more confident and tolerant. I make more time to spend with the family and enjoy nothing more than sitting watching the kids playing. Unfortunately it’s also made me realise what I’ve missed out on.
It doesn’t sound very rock and roll but now I rarely drink except for the odd glass of wine. I don’t smoke and the only pills I take are aspirin and vitamins. I’ve completely changed my lifestyle and no way would I go back to how it was. It was fun at the time but I didn’t appreciate the harm I was doing to my health or my family.
I would be lying though if I didn’t say there are a few disadvantages to being an older dad. The first is the sheer energy requirement in raising twin toddlers, especially when you are kicking a football about in the garden.
I love being a dad to two bright and energetic kids but together they need more than just double the energy of one. Having twins also means double of everything, cuddles, attention, time and toys.
Then there’s the sleep deprivation that comes with toddlers but it’s a very small price to pay for the sheer joy they bring us.
There are awkward moments when you’re an older father. Lyndsay and I were having lunch with the twins near our home in Spain recently when a woman complimented us on our beautiful, well-behaved grandchildren. We just laughed. There is also one other unavoidable disadvantage and that’s the worry of not being around to reach certain milestones in our children’s lives.
M y father was around to see my success and he was so proud. If I could see the twins reach 21 or even see them make their own successes then I’ll be a very happy man. All I want is for my kids to be happy, healthy and to know who they are.
The most important lesson I’ve learnt from being an older and wiser father? No matter how old you are a good dad is a good dad.
Read more: www.express.co.uk/posts/view/252949/I-ve-finally-learned- how-to-be-a-dadI-ve-finally-learned-how-to-be-a-dad#ixzz1PX11WQex