Profile: Brad Nagle, Dear Agony Dad

What does being a dad mean to you?

Longer nights and emptier bank accounts! All kidding aside, the kids push me to be a better man and more importantly a better father. I want to be the kind of dad they grow up to be proud of.

What has been the single biggest challenge of fatherhood for you?

It’s a continuous struggle of worrying about whether or not I’m doing a great job raising my kids. My main job here is to send fully functioning adults out into the world.

Do you have any advice for any blokes struggling with the whole dad thing?

You’re awesome, even if the world sometimes depicts you merely as a sperm donor! It’s tough, but it does get easier. It all goes by so quickly so make sure you’re present in those moments. You’ll never grow old regretting having shared those moments with your children.

Has your approach to fatherhood changed since the birth of your first-born?

Hypothetical fatherhood was amazing before my eldest was born. Then reality took a metaphorical dump on how I had thought things would be. I managed to get on top of it all. When our youngest was born, everything was more chilled and relaxed and that gave us the opportunity to enjoy the early years a lot more.

I feel more vulnerable these days. Having kids is like having your heart wondering around outside of your body.

How do you think the role of a father is perceived in society today?

There is a paradigm shift within parental duties these days. Fathers are working towards spending more time with their kids and Mothers are fighting for more equal rights and opportunity within the workplace. However, I still feel there is a stigma regarding fatherhood and that mothers are still seen as the ideal parent. I cannot tell you how many memes I see out there that focuses purely on motherhood rather than acknowledging that a father can have shared the same experiences.