What is expected from a dad in 2013? Tips on fatherhood for dad-to-be Prince William

The modern dad needs to know the difference between a Phil & Ted’s buggy and a Mamas & Papas travel system, so we offer the young royal a few helpful hints on what he needs to know as a dad

By

11 December 2012

close up of son holding his dad's face

Long gone are the days of dad simply raising a glass to the birth of his baby and disappearing into the background for the next 18 years. They need to step up and more than change the odd nappy, they need to be actively involved in baby’s day to day life.

Rather than being able to fix a car wheel’s puncture, knowing how to fix the puncture on the buggy is more called for. Here are some tips that could steer a dad-to-be in the right direction.

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1. Do a bit at a time
Cleaning up from little ones can become a mammoth task if left till the end of the day. The trick is to do a bit at a time, so dads, look out for a bit of washing up waiting to be done, and tackle it before it becomes a mountain of washing up.

2. Use alternative words to stop your little ones sharing all your secrets
Let’s face it, it’s never good when your child tells other parents that you were out late in the pub the night before, so dads, the odd little white lie to little ones, eg. “I met with my friend for a chat” may not hurt to save some embarrassment with other parents!

3. Use alternative words for naughty words
This is always good practice when little ones are around, but in order for it work, you should start early. Even before baby is born, start using other words instead of swear words, so by the time your baby is old enough to repeat anything, you already have this sussed!

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4. Create a baby-friendly wardrobe
All items of clothing that require special cleaning or dry clean only, hide away until your child hits at least 10. Baby sick, toddler foods end up everywhere and can cause mass destruction to delicate clothes.

So we have provided you with some tips to help dad get through, can you offer some more tips? Perhaps your other half has learned from mistakes he made and could now offer tips to other unsuspecting dads? Or perhaps you helped your other half with how to deal with certain issues? We want you to share all your tips and advice with us! Comment below, or share your thoughts with us on our Facebook page or via Twitter.