Eric Watson: Fatherhood - 'It's well worth the ride'

Eric Watson and his sons Sam, Aidan, Leon and Lucas. Photo / Supplied

Opinion

Eric Watson writes about what being a dad has taught him.

I've never taken being a father for granted but a recent event involving my second son Lucas made me contemplate significantly what my four boys mean to me.

As he underwent surgery for a freak accident that could have ended in disaster I was reminded how fickle life is and why having no regrets is so important.

Post surgery, as 9-year-old Lucas lay in recovery, Lisa and I knew the outcome could have been so different and how fortunate we were that Lucas would be okay.

You want to protect your children so much. There is an overwhelming natural instinct to ensure no harm comes to them but of course you can't do that 100 per cent of the time. Of course it's at these times when they're most vulnerable that you also feel exposed.

Ultimately being a good parent comes down to equipping children with the skills they need to manoeuvre their way through life as safely as possible because no matter how much you want to, you can't always be there.

Growing independent children who can problem solve and make good decisions is a great thing and, as I've said I can't stand spoilt children. There's no excuse as a parent for not having taught your children good manners, appreciating and looking after what you have regardless of your financial circumstances and having to do your bit to help around home. It's okay to make mistakes as a father - we can't and won't always get it right, just as our children won't.

My boys range in age from 21 months to 21 years which has its challenges but the rewards are incredible despite them appearing to act each other's ages at times! I enjoy watching them interact; they all get on well and genuinely care for each other, which means an immense amount. I'm close to my sister and brother and hope that when my boys reach adulthood the strong bond they have formed continues.

Last year I attended the Men's Health Trust New Zealand breakfast where they spoke of men being complacent about their health and the importance of going to see a doctor. This played on my mind a lot and seeing my children when I returned to the UK made me realise the importance of being healthy. I'm no good to them if I'm not well so, after years of not seeing a doctor, I went for a check-up. I want to challenge other dads to do the same.

If you won't do it for yourself, surely you will for your children. This Father's Day, make a commitment to get a check-up. I can attest to the fact that it wasn't scary at all!

My father wasn't around when I was young and this has had a major impact on the type of father I wanted to be and am.

Time is the most important asset I have as a father - time to spend with my boys together and one-on-one.

Of course being able to take them on holiday or expose them to different activities or different countries is a bonus. But the times spent reading to them, watching the Warriors together, playing a game of cards or watching them play sport or in a school concert are all an investment in my children's lives.

It's through sharing these moments that they learn new skills, improve existing ones, build confidence, understand how to express themselves, appreciate that they can't always win but that it can still be fun. They learn how to cope with frustration and disappointment. Even through the simplest of tasks they learn who they are and who they can become.

My involvement now has a direct correlation to the adults they will become. My promise to them is to help them to develop the skills they need to be great brothers, great sons, great partners, great fathers but most importantly great men.

Happy Father's Day to all of the dads out there. It may feel that you're on a rollercoaster at times, with a range of emotions from anticipation to joy and excitement through to sheer terror and anxiety, but from where I'm sitting it's well worth the ride.