Charles Brice Says “I’m being the father my dad wanted to be but couldn’t”

Name: Charles Brice City: Tampa, FL | Instagram: @CB2n3

What does being a father mean to you?

Being a father means to be the best role model, protector, and provider that I can be. I’m being the father my dad wanted to be but couldn’t.

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

I had a close relationship with my dad, but due to addiction and illness, there was a lot of things he failed to teach and show me and I had to learn elsewhere or by trail and error. Through therapy I’ve learned to forgive him and myself and today I can honestly say Ive become a better man and father.
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What things did you take from your experience growing up into your own fatherhood journey?

My dad didn’t teach me how to stand up straight and look a person in the eyes when talking to a person, my confidence wasn’t like it should. And I learned these things growing up from other men, sometimes in embarrassing situations. As I learned and gained confidence and I can into my oldest son’s life, I pride myself in instilling confidence into my son and will do the same with my baby boy, which is on the way. I was raised primarily by my mom and of course she can’t teach me to be a man nor did she teach me how to treat women.

Have you had any obstacles on your fatherhood journey? If so, explain.

I’ve had many obstacles as a father. Two main ones are not being attentive enough with my son and daughter. Another one is not being emotionally sensitive with them as well. I can into my oldest son’s life when he was 5years old , that’s when I met his mother. My dad didn’t do sports and family time with me so I found myself doing the samething until my wife said hey sir, that’s not we doing over here lol. And she was right. I become more attentive to him, instead of my chilling when I’m off of work. Sports, boxing, you name it, we did it. My daughter doesn’t live with me, so at the beginning of her life I was not there as much as I should have, due to military life and the problem of not being with her mother. I had my daughter before I married my sons mom. My son was and my daughter was almost 2. Now they are 16 and 12. I wasn’t emotionally conscious enough for them at a time as well. I didn’t know how to be, I thought for boys we had to be tough no crying and for my lil girl I was not available for her feelings. Through family talks and therapy, I’ve learned how to be available for both in their own way. And learned how to be available for my emotions and how to handle them.

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

Listen, be humble, communicate, ask questions, and tend to and heal childhood trauma

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

Dear Father, I love you, miss you, and forgive you. I understand what you went through and where you came from. You always told me to be better then you, but I really didn’t know you to be better than you or to even be you. I’m sorry we left you in that home, forgive us. Forgive Mom. I love you.

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