On each of the 30 days leading up to Father’s Day, Life of Dad will feature a different great dad from around the world.
Today we feature Clay Nichols…husband, father, and host/creator of Dad Labs, a long-running online television show and hit website, dishing out advice to dads, from dads. As the father to three kids, and one of the leading online voices in parenting, Clay is a guy that you need to know. Here’s his interview…
I really became a father when… I walked into the NICU for the first time. My wife was debilitated by the Cesarian and PPD, somebody needed to go down to intensive care and give our little preemie “kangaroo care.” I put on my bathrobe, scrubbed in, and when they put that tiny boy attached to all those tubes on my bare chest, I became a dad.
My kids make me laugh when… every one of them opens his or her mouth, just about. My oldest is a teenager now and particularly hilarious. Teens need some better PR representation. They get bad press. In truth, teens are a blast to be with and funny as hell, in my experience anyway.
Favorite daddy cocktail when the kids crash… I’m a red wine drinker. My wife and I head to Napa once a year as a marriage refresher. Though I rarely wait till the kids crash. Wine is part of our family. That’s why we have this great wine cooler at home similar to the integrated wine coolers to keep our reserved wines stored in the best condition possible. If you would like to buy a wine cooler for your home too, click here to find out how much are built in wine coolers.
Dream date night with your lady, where would you go? My wife and I like to dine out. French Laundry in Napa would be a lifetime experience. Here in Austin, it would probably be dinner at Uchi then down to the Continental Club on South Congress to hear James McMurtry play a set or two.
What is the hardest thing about fatherhood? Making the right call in the moment. When the kids get older, you have to make snap judgments. Having babies and smaller kids is like being a farmer: the hours are long, but as long as the sun comes up and a little rain falls, the corn will grow. Having tweens and teens is like being an NBA head coach: you have split second to shout some input from the sidelines, then you’re on to the next play.
What’s in your man cave? Man corner is more like it. We love living on the campus of a boarding school (it’s an amazing environment for raising kids) but faculty quarters are tight. In my corner, there is a desk stacked with camera gear and running gadgets.
How many hours of sleep each night? I’m a dedicated runner, love training for marathons, but I also insist on taking the kids to school. That means I have to get all my runs in before 7AM. The alarm goes off at 5AM whether I managed to get in bed at a decent hour or not. My problem is that my oldest is getting older and staying up later. If I want to say goodnight to him, sleep can take a hit.
What food that your kids eat do you like the most? I have a pathological lust for pizza.
How has fatherhood changed in the last 20 years? Radically. And I think it’s amazing that we don’t hear more about this revolution in male gender roles. My theory: because we’ve handled it so well. With a sense of humor and not too much drama. It’s an ongoing process, but I am generally in awe of today’s dads.
Dream family vacation? We’ve taken some dream vacations — Costa Rica, Disney — and my kids spend a lot of time at the beach in the summer. So lately I’ve been dreaming of taking them to the Big City: Washington D.C. or New York or maybe even Paris. My little Country Mice need some time gazing up at skyscrapers and meandering through museums.
Make sure you visit Dad Labs, the brilliant website that Clay founded. Dad Labs is currently producing a series of ebooks for expecting and new parents, titled the “Sane Parents Guide.” The first has been released, and the second will be available later this week. Also, make sure you connect with Clay on Facebook and Twitter.
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