Fredericksburg Parent

6 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • June 2022 parent fredericksburg & family Entrepreneur of the Year PROUD FOUNDING MEMBER ADVERTISING PHONE 540-429-3572 EMAIL leighanne@fredericksburgparent.net CALENDAR & SOCIAL MEDIA EMAIL webmaster@fredericksburgparent.net EDITORIAL PHONE 540-429-3572 EMAIL fredparenteditor@gmail.com SNAIL MAIL P.O. Box 7884, F'burg, VA 22404 www.fredericksburgparent.net The publishers reserve the right to reject any advertisement, editorial or listing that does not meet the publication's stan- dards. No part of this magazine may be reproduced with out permission. Listing and advertising rates are available upon request. Every effort has been made to assure the accuracy of the information con- tained herein, however, the publisher cannot guaran- tee such accuracy. Listings and advertisements are subject to typographical errors, ommissions and/or change without notice. For terms and conditions please visit our website at www.fredericksburgparent.net © Copyright 2022 Nurture, Inc. All rights reserved. LIKE facebook.com/ FredericksburgParent SIGN UP www.FredParent.net TWEET twitter.com/fredpar- ent PIN www.pinterest.com/ fredparent FOLLOW @fredparentmagazine WRITTEN BY CHRIS JONES editor's note editor's note Photo by Corey Miller Photography Fatherhood Fatherhood is a Balance of is a Balance of Love Love and and Love and Love Love and Love and Endurance Endurance PUBLISHER Leigh Anne Van Doren Tabitha & Jamie Nelle's mom EDITOR & WEBMASTER Chris Jones Quincy, Hayden & Olive's dad MEDIA & ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Megan Walsh: Mia, Noelle & Adelaide's mom DESIGN & PRODUCTION Cheryl Carter: Alex, Kate & Jackie's mom CALENDAR & COOL THINGS TO DO ELETTER Caroline Murray: Nate and Brendan's mom EDUCATION & INFANT ELETTERS Debra Caffrey: Aidan's mom SPECIAL EVENTS COORDINATOR Jessica Trask: Cye, Asher and Ragan's mom SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Mira Dover MARKETING & EVENT INTERN Ragan Trask Many of us grew up watching our fathers with no idea what it took to fill that role. In my family, it was my mother who received the praise and the glory and my father who worked behind the scenes to make sure that always was the case. In turn, she was there for him, making sure that he had what he needed to show up at his best for work each day. When my dad got home from work, he'd often decompress. I never understood why he needed as much time as he did when I was young, but I know now. He made time to come to my games or listen to me talk, but I knew he was tired, too. When my dad set foot out of the front door, he was facing everything the world had to throw at him—alone. There were no cell phones that would allow him to communicate with my mom throughout the day to share his in-the-moment frustration or to receive encouraging words from her. He held his head high and performed his work for eight or more hours so we could eat, be well-dressed, play sports, be in band, and have a roof over our heads. My dad wasn't going to work, he was exchanging his time for my comfort. Now that I'm older and have children who have needs and wants beyond the basics, like clarinets and violins, gaming consoles, sports and the like, they see me much like I saw my father—as a provider to love them, listen to them and meet their needs. Though I work from home, they can't see the line between when I'm working and when I'm at home, and they often forget the hours I keep. They just want my attention. Unlike my father, I choose to decompress after my kids go to bed. It's not a knock against my father—we chose vastly different vocations that require different energy—but it was something Kobe Bryant said. When asked about the time spent with his kids, he said he always made time no matter what his situation was because they don't know what he endures to provide for them, and they don't need to understand. All they know is daddy is home and they want his time, and it belongs to them. He was fully present no matter how he felt. And that's what I strive to do as a father: to be present at work and present at home. In this issue, we pay tribute to dads in a fun way. Fredericksburg Parent spends time with Everett Cadden, a 23-year-old first-time father to get his fatherhood experience and share in his excitement as he celebrates his first Father's Day. On the opposite end, Paul Gustavson shares wisdom as a mature father of adult sons and talks about how young men can lead their families in love. Hope you enjoy the issue. Happy Father's Day. Being a dad is a special privilege.

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