‘The Grateful Dad’s Guide to the First Year of Fatherhood’ by Doug Gertner: BOOK REVIEW

When I became a father almost 10 years ago, I had no idea what I was doing. My handling of babies prior to meeting my own was limited to “here, hold him for a second.” I knew one thing, though, I wanted to be great at it.

I read some books, but I found most of them uninteresting. I want a book to get straight to the point. And that’s what The Grateful Dad Guide to the First Year of Fatherhood: How to Parent Your Newborn with Passion, Joy and Gratitude does.

Doug Gertner, author of The Grateful Dad Guide, breaks down a baby’s first year with simple quick tips and encouragement. For instance, he writes in the chapter concerning the first months of the baby’s life, “Hang in there: everywhere you are reminded of the things you are missing (sleep, each other, etc.).” And a tip he provides, “The more time you spend as a father, the better prepared you become to care for your child.”

In the midst of the shuffle of changing diapers and your sleep deprived new life, it’s easy to forget to be grateful for the amazing gift you’ve been given. This book helps new dads to remember it by providing questions to reflect on each month, such as: “What’s new, what do I notice, what I’m grateful for this month?”

This book is a great gift for the first-time father. Beyond helping him be a competent dad, it will help him to be a grateful dad.