5 Questions with Dan Churchman – Dad Extraordinaire

Over the years, many of my childhood friends have grown up and started having families of their own. It was always a strange feeling whenever someone I knew from grade school was having kids (oh the power of Facebook). But the feeling was never of ill will or snobbery. It was always more of envy and anticipation – knowing that they had taken that big step toward having a family and raising kids and that one day it would be me having a kid of my own. Seriously!

Teagan Churchman is a childhood friend of mine who I’ve known since grade 3. Today, her and her husband, Dan Churchman, live in Texas with their now one year old son, James. I asked Teagan whether it would be cool to get Dan to answer a few questions I had about being a dad and having a one year old. Perhaps unbeknown to Dan, she agreed right away. Below is Super-Dad Dan’s answers to my 5 questions:

Dan and James

Everyone says seeing your kid for the first time is an amazing thing. How did you feel when you first saw your boy, James?

I remember my very first thought when he came out. ‘I knew making fun of the pictures we saw in prenatal class, showing all those babies with coneheads, would come back to bite me in the ass’. Luckily, we didn’t need to have him in one of those ‘special’ helmets and the conehead subsided in a few days. I don’t know about love at FIRST sight, but once they cleaned him up and you get to hold your son, it’s a pretty mind blowing experience.

Of course, being a dad is super cool. But tell me, what’s been the best part about being a dad so far?

Just watching him learn how to do new things like walking, talking and discovering new things like toys, grass, the dog…..

What do you look forward to the most and the least as James grows up?

I look forward to teaching him sports the most, especially football. I told my wife that I won’t be one of ‘those’ sports dad’s, but I make no promises. The thing I am looking forward to the least is the awkward questions that only five year old’s seem able to think up.

Kids do and say the darnedest things. What has James surprised you the most with so far?

The one thing that has surprised me the most is his walking.We had been trying to coax him into it for a while but it never worked, he would just sit down. One day, he just stood up and took off across the room, just completely unexpectedly. It was pretty awesome.

What’s your favourite bevy? (alcoholic or non, but preferably alcoholic)

I would have to say sweet, delicious gin. Preferably Hendricks on the rocks but hell, I’ll drink whatever you’re buying!

Awesome. Thanks Dan. And give me a shout next time you’re in town, cause there’s a nice tall Hendricks on the rocks waiting for you!