Name: Jason Hall | City: Dallas, TX | IG: @mrlovelivelife
What does being a father mean to you?
You ever wonder what is your purpose? Whether it be personal or professional. Of all the things I’ve done, I feel there is no greater purpose I have than being a father. It’s the best gift any man could ask for, but also the biggest responsibility. Being a father to four boys means I have four opportunities to continue me and my father’s legacy! It also means I have the job to raise four boys to become respectful, righteous men. Being a father means I get to experience the greatest, unrelenting love! It also means giving that love as well! Being a father is everything!
Describe your experience with your father growing up and how that impacted you today.
My experience was great. My father never had a father figure and not even the most supportive mother, but somehow he became the best father me and my brother could have asked for! He showed me how to navigate this world but still be yourself, unapologetically. He taught me that the time spent together was better than any amount of money he could give. He taught me to create your own destiny. He taught me how to lead! All these things I never realized I was learning until I had a family of my own. And I think those lessons truly gave me a leg up once I started having children.
What things did you take from your experience growing up into your own fatherhood journey?
The biggest thing I could take from my experience growing up is the love is spelled TIME. I just wanted to be around my dad , even if we were just driving around running errands. Kids don’t care about money or material things. They just want to spend time with you! Another thing is that work-life balance. Our major roles as fathers is to protect and provide. So we get hooked on the grind. We want to give our kids a nice, comfortable life and sometimes that effects the time we get to spend with them. My dad was a workaholic and I have those tendencies as well, but I try not to work during family time, so if that means I have to get up at 4 in the morning to get some work done that’s what I have to do so I’m present when they wake up.
Have you had any obstacles on your fatherhood journey?
An obstacle I have is parenting four young boys can be tiring and frustrating at times. It’s important to get some time for yourself or time for you and your spouse or significant other to connect. Once you start feeling that frustration, you can’t let your kids feel it. You’re going to have those days where you’re exhausted and they are on 100. You can’t snap at them. They’re just being kids. But it’s happened to the best of us. An obstacle I fear is approaching is raising four black kids in this America. How can I ensure they come home every day? How can I shield them from experiencing racism or bigotry? Or discrimination? It’s a constant fear of mine!
What advice would you give others new on their fatherhood journey?
The best advice I could give new fathers is: Be present! Also, since mom carries them for 9 months and breastfeeds them after, they’re constantly creating a bond. My advice is do skin to skin and handle the bedtime routine. Bathe them, brush teeth, pjs, reading to them. This creates hours of bonding over the years, promotes healthy hygiene, and jumpstarts a love for reading! Also, support mom as much as you can!
If you could write a quick letter to your father, starting with “Dear Father,” what would you say?
Dear Father,
Thank you! Thank you for your protection. Thank you for your knowledge. Thank you for your time. Thank you for your height and looks! Thank you for laying the foundation for wanting to be a great father. Thank you for giving me the blueprint! For manhood, fatherhood, and husband-hood! Even though I think you were taken from me too soon, you owe me nothing! You prepared me for being a man more than I ever knew! And for that, I thank you! I love you!
Love, Jason!
| List 5 fathers you cosign. (Add their IG names) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | @byrdfitnessllc |
| 2 | @thepricipalcraig |
| 3 | @robertsecond53 |
| 4 | @iamgnice |
| 5 | @thedadfluence |
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