Name: John Ruelas | City: Aurora, Colorado | IG: @The13eatnik
What does being a father mean to you?
To me fatherhood means being a loving protector and a facilitator. It means being there for support and encouragement and being non judgemental. Providing discipline, guidance, and understanding while letting kids be kids.
Describe your experience with your father growing up and how that impacted you today.
I am the oldest of three sons. My father was around until I was about 14. During that time he provided for us financially and we would go out on occasion and do family things. He worked a bunch so he wasn’t home but when he was it was miserable. I then had to take over his part of my family’s financial responsibilities at 14 when he and my mother separated. I had no choice but to work hard and provide for us until we all moved out as adults.
What things did you take from your experience growing up into your own fatherhood journey?
I was resentful for many years for being thrust into adulthood without warning and guidance. I took that energy and manifested it into an incredible work life balance and a loving attitude and ethic that has enabled me to lift myself from the chains of poverty and to provide for my family that wasn’t possible when I was a child.
What advice would you give others new on their fatherhood journey?
I would say remember what it was like when you came up. Not really for comparisons sake, but for understanding. Yes we made these kids but they are their own individuals with their own agendas haha.
If you could write a quick letter to your father, starting with “Dear Father,” what would you say?
Dear Father,
You tried your best, or maybe you didn’t. What you did succeed in doing is producing a young man that is living and thriving beyond his wildest material and spiritual dreams!
Thanks for that!
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