Dennis is one of the many dads I have virtually met in the DadStaysHome.com forum. After the birth of my first child I joined the forum back in 2003 but never really got connected with the other dads. I then went back to work part-time away from home so dropped off the site until earlier this year. It was then that I realized what I had been missing for the last couple of years. It's not all about bottle feeding vs. breast feeding or the best way to get poop stains out of your kid's clothes. It's about dads having someone to hang out with and have conversations about beer, cars, bar-b-que, the occasional (mostly) good-natured debates, sports, advice on parenting, and the weekly poker games after the kids are asleep.
Thanks to Don-Dad for starting the site back in 2000 when he began staying home with his kids. Maybe I can get The Don here in the Daddyshack for an interview someday in the future.
This week's featured dad is Dennis O'Rourke, Jr. He is a regular contributor to The Don's other site, Dadcenter.com. Along with raising a
handful of kids at home, Dennis also runs an auto consulting business and
will one day sell me a Porsche 911 Turbo - right after I get that
winning lottery ticket. Here's what Dennis had to say while in the Daddyshack:
Q: Taking on the commitment of an at-home dad is a big leap. What factors contributed to your family's decision?
- Wanted to be fully involved in my children's' day to day
care instead of a secondary care-giver who only see their child a few hours a
week.
Q: What are some of the most challenging things you have
encountered since becoming an at-home dad?
- Overcoming sleepless nights and screaming toddlers
Q: What are some of the rewards?
- Seeing our children experience new things and seeing there
faces light up when they hear my voice
Q: Some people think dads are inept as primary caregivers.
Have any random strangers ever given you unsolicited advice on how to
raise your children?
- Was an older woman being snippy regarding how I was scolding
my two toddler aged children in public
Q: Where is your favorite spot to go when you have alone
time without the kids?
- Enjoying the back roads of upstate New York with only the
sound of a air-cooled Modern Porsche
engine ringing in my ears.
Q: You are also working from home as an Auto Consultant.
What are some good time management tips you can offer to others that work jobs
from home?
- Prepare to be flexible w/ your schedule, especially with
younger children at home.
Q: You have a deep passion for Porsche. What is you all-time
favorite year and model, and why?
- 1958 356 Carrera Speedster, the first Porsche my father
fully restored, was stolen a week after completion in 1969.
Q: Our wives expect us to keep the house in somewhat of a
non-chaotic state. I actually don't mind vacuuming or doing dishes but laundry
is not my favorite. What chore do you abhor the most?
Q: Where is your kids' most requested place to go
on outings with you?
Q: With the exception of your wife, who was the last person
you had an adult conversation with, and what was it about?
- My business partner,
we were talking about my fathers' upcoming liver transplant
Q: What is
your favorite children's book?
Q: What is the biggest misconception people have about you?
- That
I'm a selfish, moody, materialistic Native New Yorker
Q: Best cure for a
hangover?
Q: Are you a spiritual person?
Q: If your life was turned into a movie, which actor would
play you?
Q: If you were trapped on a deserted island, what three
things would you need to survive?
- Matches, Swiss Army Knife, and an iPod
Q: Do you have a philosophy to live by?
- Live life to it's fullest
Q: It's been stated that everyone in the world should have
their own theme song. What would be the theme song for your life?
- My Hometown by Bruce Springsteen
Q: Who would win in a head-to-head race at
Talladega: Jay Leno or Jerry Seinfeld?
- Jay Leno who with
Mark Donohue's son set a speed record at this same track in '05 in a Porsche
Carrera GT
Q: What words of wisdom did your father share with you? Was
it good advice?
- Don't put your
business first, your family comes first. Since he didn't follow these words and
screwed up two marriages I have to agree. Also spend as much time with your
children as possible.
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