What was your biggest rookie dad mistake?

532 Views | 3 Replies | Last: 5 hrs ago by Gunny456
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From TexAgs Sponsor, T-K-O Equipment:





Our family has grown by 2 in the last 15 months with Sullivan '47 in February of 2025 and most recently Vivienne '48 in March. Things are getting pretty crazy in the Smith household, but Mom '16 and Dad '12 are making it one day at a time and loving every minute of the chaos.

There's probably no advice more freely given than parenting advice. Especially from dads.
The second you mention you've got a new baby at home, suddenly every guy over 40 has:
  • one story that starts with "Back when mine were little…"
  • one warning about never sleeping again
  • and one completely questionable piece of advice they still swear worked in 1997.
So let's hear it from the dads on TexAgs:
What's the best or funniest dad advice you've ever received?
What was your biggest rookie dad mistake with your first kid?
What was the biggest learning curve, or the thing nobody warned you about?
And most importantly… what's your funniest story from those early days of being a dad?

Bonus points if your family still brings it up every holiday gathering!


Gig'em
T-K-O Equipment CompanyWhat was your biggest rookie dad mistake?
imnag07
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During COVID when only one parent was allowed in a room, this happened.

Normal day. Wanted to take a stroll through the neighborhood on golf cart. NOTE: played golf earlier in the day, but son was driving on my lap with his feet on the floorboard and mine on the brake control…

Anyways, I drive off and realize my speaker fell off. Got out of the driver seat to get speaker and son slipped right on into the driver seat and hits that ol gas pedal (just like he did when we were golfing).

I never catchup to them. They hit a 60+ ft pine tree in the neighbors yard.

Both kids (daughter was in passenger seat) go flying. My daughter ends up with a bruise the size of a tennis ball it seemed. Batteries and battery acid spewing out. Not sure how neither kid got it on them.

Make the call to the wife. Head to ER. I have to explain everything to doctor with wife in waiting room on speaker phone.

Not too many bad looks were received.

We get all tests done. Everything turned out OK. No major injuries.

Wife ain't happy, though.

Anyways, remember to watch kids around equipment - whether it be a mule, a golf cart, atv…take those keys out every time it stops if you have to.

My kids ended up in neighbors yard, but could have easily driven themselves onto the 35+ mph road with maybe even worse consequences even though hitting a stable tree is not ideal.

Happy parenting. Will humble the heck out of you for n an instant.
jtp01
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One of mine is letting my eldest try EVERYTHING. While it's been a hell of a ride with him graduating (salutatorian no less). Here's a list of a few things:

Baseball, his first love this year as a senior he was selected as a captain

Football his second love this year also selected captain and led the team with tackles per game.

President of his FFA chapter. Hell of a welder, and was asked to find a recording of the National anthem. Said "I'll just sing it" an hour before the banquet and absolutely nailed it leaving the crowd stunned.

NHS vice President. Because he needed another officer position in his busy senior year.

And then there is music. He Started playing cello at 6 years old and I'm waiting for him to get ready to take him to State Solo and Ensemble contest in a few minutes. Cello has taken him to the east and west coast almost to Canada and down into South Texas. He has performed the national anthem on the cello in minor league baseball stadiums and beyond.
He started playing guitar at thanksgiving this year. Only a few weeks later he won second place at district talent contest playing guitar and singing Hank Jr.(because his old man taught him what good music is).
Now he plays cello and guitar in church every Sunday.

Bottom line, be careful what you let your kids try, they'll drag you all over the country but it's the most fun you'll ever get to experience.

I drop him off tomorrow in College Station for his summer Job. Not sure what farm life is going to be like without the best farmhand in the Texas Panhandle, but we will see soon enough.


ETA: of course he nailed his solo and got the gold medal he narrowly missed last year! His final high school event/obligation is finished and did it in style. In true form he refused to wear his "performance clothes" and chose a blue paisley pearl snap shirt and blue jeans this morning. His momma did make him take his Coors banquet ball cap off before he went in to play. I love that he is comfortable enough in his own skin to dress how he wants vs how others tell him he should.



Gunny456
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Absolutely outstanding!!!!!
TAMU Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences

Boat racing is like a beautiful woman.......expensive, high maintenance, but well worth the fun!
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