who is this guy?
My lovely, all-knowing wife reminded me tonight that I ought to properly introduce myself to my audience here. So, without further ado, here goes nothing…
I’m a 33-year-old husband to the most dynamic, positive, adorable powerhouse of a woman, Charlene, and father of two beautiful, joyful, engaged little ones - our oldest, AJ is 3yo, and baby Ellie is already 7 months! To understand me, you first have to know a little about these 3 because in a lot of ways, they are my life.
AJ, bless his heart, is a guerrilla artist, has nearly mastered the potty, is a budding star artist/mathlete/ballplayer, and doting big brother. Ellie has her mommy’s big blue eyes and is just as bubbly too. She is starting to crawl now, and I’m psyched about it so we can velcro some Swiffer pads to her knees and set her loose on the kitchen floor. Charlene - aka Charley - is literally my soulmate. This woman has been on the go since the day I met her, and from what I’ve heard, has pretty much been that way since day one. She runs circles around me in most things she does. She inspires me, takes care of me, teaches our children about numbers and reading and manners and respect.
The dad who lifts is me, Nate Ginsberg. More importantly, the dad who lifts is also an idea - a notion of manliness that I hope to fulfill someday. The dad who lifts is every father out there trying to give his kids the best life possible, trying to keep romance alive in his marriage, trying to kick ass in his career or business, but also trying to maintain a strong sense of self, stay fit and relevant, get better at the things he loves to do - whether they pay the bills or not.
Life has always been hard. In the present, it’s easy to wax poetic about the good ol’ days and let nostalgia get the better of us, but let’s be real: this parenting gig has always been tough, relationships have always been tough, and work is called work for a reason. That said, it’s hard to deny that there are more and more demands on our attention than ever. Never before have we been bombarded with information so constantly throughout each day. It’s enough to drive a man (or woman) off the deep end trying to keep up with all the emails, texts, social media, print media, television, radio (some people still use those, right?), and somehow still squeeze in some quality face time (the real stuff, not the kind on your iPhone). The art of personal communication, caring gestures, spontaneity, and simply living for the moment is gradually getting lost in this age of screens.
My point is, the dad who lifts is someone who knows his role in home and work, relishes all the various responsibilities to those around him, and still strives to stay connected to the kid inside that gets a thrill from setting a PR, mastering a new guitar lick, or just making time to hang with his buddies. Saturdays, for the dad who lifts, are not for the boys; they’re for home improvements, baseball games, family outings, and as much time with the kids as possible. They’re only little once, after all.
I didn’t start this page because I already am the man described above. I started it as a chronicle of my never-ending quest to grow into that man. Along the way, I have picked up some strategies that work for me, and many more that did not. I’ll do my best to share it all, and hope it helps make you on your way to being a dad who lifts too.
