What I hope to achieve
The decision to become a father is likely to be the greatest decision of your life. The birth of your first child will change your world entirely. When this happens you are not the same man you were before. You have brought a new life into the world that is completely dependent on you. This child also has something of you in him or her. You will see parts of you in the way your child looks, your child’s personality, and the way he or she acts. Because of this, there is a lifetime connection.

If you are trying to decide whether to become a father, I hope you learn something of yourself by taking this course. I also want to engage you in an exchange of ideas that will help you consider the challenges and risks as well as the benefits that could make this all worthwhile. I am not, however, trying to sell you on becoming a father. I applaud you if you decide that you are not ready and need to wait. If you decide to take a chance and become a father, then the ideas here will have hopefully contributed to your decision. In either case, you evaluated yourself and your circumstance to make a thoughtful decision.

If you have just become a father, I hope you find encouragement and guidance in this course. Consider this experience as a form of self-exploration and exploration intended to provide a great start to the challenge of being a good dad.