Name: Tyrone Dixon | City: Syracuse, NY | IG: @Ceo_atc

What does being a father mean to you?

Being a father means the world to me, literally. Since my daughters have entered my life I have found depths of love, patience and resilience that I never thought was possible. Fatherhood was the first thing I became obsessed with in terms of wanting to be great. I’ve never wanted to be great at anything as much as I want to be a great father. The energy I got from fatherhood has propelled me to want to be great in everything I do.

Describe your experience with your father growing up and how that impacted you today.

My father and I have always had a really close relationship. He was my very first hero in the way he provided for my siblings and myself. He has children by other women (10 total) so he and my mother didn’t always see eye to eye, but that didn’t stop him from doing what he had to make sure his kids were ok. Two things I will always appreciate about my father: 1. He is a hustler and could make something out of nothing (I’ve seen him do it many Christmas holidays, and getting through private school working at minimum wage) 2. My father taught me the importance of being persistent at an early age. I’m 32, and I still use his words from my childhood as motivation to get me through adversity.

What things did you take from your experience growing up into your own fatherhood journey?

I understand the importance of a father being around. As much as I love my mother and sisters it was important for me to have my dad in my life. One fatherhood trait I will be sure to pass on is giving my children the opportunity to “fail forward” meaning I will give them opportunities to make mistakes without hovering over them. I want them to leant the lessons in failure, but also know daddy is there to pick up the pieces if the load gets too heavy. That meant a lot to me that my dad allowed me to make mistakes and wasn’t judgmental about the stupid things I did as a child/teenager.

Have you had any obstacles on your fatherhood journey?

Absolutely. Fatherhood has brought back many of the traumas that I subconsciously compartmentalized from my own childhood and it can be difficult to come to terms with the fact that the way I was raised may not have been the best way to raise my own children. One time I recall getting very upset at my mother because she forgot to get my daughter, it was a simple mistake but since I had experienced abandonment from her in my childhood I went into a traumatic spot in my brain and lost emotional control thinking I had to protect my children from that experience.

What advice would you give others new on their fatherhood journey?

Be patient with yourself, your child, and the mother of your child. Things rarely go according to plan and every child is different. Enjoy ever moment because time really does fly when they get here (I know you’ve probably heard that one before, but it’s true as any statement about parenthood).

If you could write a quick letter to your father, starting with “Dear Father,” what would you say?

Dear Father, thank you for it giving up on your responsibilities. There were plenty of fathers who chose to leave their kids and you decided to stay. We appreciate you for that dad more than words can ever express. As I get older and achieve new levels of success the only thing I want to remain the same is making you proud to call me son. I love you young man, your place in my heart is forever engraved.

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