How it works: The Dad review

Stu Lipshaw is dad to baby boy, Marcus, who continues to amaze him more and more by the day. Stu works in the publishing team at Penguin, so gets to read a wide range of fantastic books on a daily basis, and was part of the winning team at the NZ Pub Quiz Championship in 2015 - a title he bears with pride!

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Book review - How It Works: The Dad by Jason Hazely & Joel Morris

This is a book to be read by all fathers, both rookies and veterans, and by anyone who wishes to understand the inner workings of the dad mind.

The first few months of fatherhood are a blur of unrivalled joy, complete surprise and irrational concern. There’s so much new information to absorb, and your world changes in so many ways that it can be hard to process. From that first triumphant moment when your child is born, there’s instantly more noise, less sleep and free time almost disappears entirely as you find yourself spending hour upon hour staring at this thing you’ve created and wondering/anticipating/worrying what it might do next.

While antenatal classes teach you about the birthing process, how to change a nappy and give you a general idea of the dos and don’ts during the first few months, no one ever provides the subtle but significant advice that new fathers really need. At first you don’t notice it, but in time you realise that being a dad and doing dad things is now an unavoidable part of your identity.

That’s where the Ladybird Book for Adults comes in. In the space of just over 50 pages, How It Works: The Dad outlines what it means to be a father by using a series of simple examples that serve as both a preparatory tool for younger dads and a safe space of understanding for those who are more experienced.

Covering a vast range of topics, from communication to aspirational comparisons with the world of bees, this book provides a rare glimpse into the everyday reality of ‘The Dad’. There is humour to be found within these pages, although there are serious undertones — let’s be clear: there is nothing funny about a vasectomy.

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