Name: Loren Jones II City: Raymore, MO | @Lojospeaks
What does being a father mean to you?
Being a father means waking up with a purpose everyday. It means protecting, guiding, leading, and inspiring someone one hour brought into this world. It’s a way to learn a side of you maybe you didn’t realize existed. Being a father is one of the greatest honors for a man in life
Describe your experience with your father growing up and how that impacted you today.
My father wasn’t really in my life growing up. It forced me to try to find that father figure in all the wrong places. It put me in a place where I was angry and lash out in negative ways. I made decisions that were reckless and irresponsible. I became a father at 16. Today while raising kids I’m making strides towards a purpose that having a father would’ve put me on this path much earlier on life.
What things did you take from your experience growing up into your own fatherhood journey?
I learned that purpose that’s early and every kid needs that opportunity. I learned that when we choose love we must choose wisely. When we choose lust we must choose it responsibly and respectfully.
Have you had any obstacles on your fatherhood journey?
Being a teen father, learning balance of being a provider versus a caregiver while still growing up yourself. But perseverance prevails if you don’t give up. When my daughters mother and I split, co-parenting as a younger parent was challenging because of the hurt feelings, really no different than adults that split. But the emotional intelligence is so much more underdeveloped in most cases it makes it harder. As a teen father, you grow with your child in a different way that can cause you to regret what you weren’t able to properly give them growing up.
What advice would you give others new on their fatherhood journey?
*Accept you’re gonna make mistakes and learn to apologize to your children. (Flaw in many * parents)
* Listen to them. They will tell your how they’re feeling if you’re listening.
* Guide them on their path of purpose as early as possible. They’ll thank you later.
If you could write a quick letter to your father, starting with “Dear Father,” what would you say?
Dear dad
I know you weren’t there for me growing up, but I learned many things in your absence that helped me become the man I am today. Understanding your past helped me understand why you weren’t there and your 100% forgiven.
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