To celebrate Father’s Day, we caught up with
engineering student, Shane, who recently became a
father to the gorgeous Isla.
HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE A FATHER?
It’s amazing! I never really knew it would be so challenging raising a child, or how easily it can make me
happy. I know everyone says babies can be frustrating and tiring, and they can be, but even on her worst
days, all she has to do is flash one smile, or one of those cute little baby giggles, and all is forgiven.
HOW HAS LIFE HAS CHANGED SINCE BECOMING A FATHER?
Less sleep, more coffee, and every little thing I do these days has to have her in mind. It’s also changed
the dynamic between my wife and I. Pre-baby, our relationship was just between us. Post-baby, we’ve had
to incorporate a third party into that equation and that’s meant things have had to change slightly. Not
necessarily in a good or a bad way, but it’s different.
HOW HAS HAVING A NEWBORN AFFECTED YOUR STUDY HABITS AND YOUR PRIORITIES?
Because Lianne was also studying before Isla came along, we had several frank discussions about how
having a newborn would impact our lives personally, professionally and at uni. We decided that with me still
working, there just wouldn’t be enough time on my days off for us both to study, so she deferred her degree
while I continued with mine. This decision added the pressure to do well, because if she’d continued on she
certainly would have!
When Isla was due to be born, I decided to take the semester off because I didn’t know how much time
having a new child would take up and the impact that may have on my studies. Also, and perhaps more
importantly, I didn’t want to have to be worrying about due dates, lectures and assessment when I was
experiencing one of the most amazing things a person can. It’s not often you get to add someone to your
family so I figured I’d better make the most of it.
With a newborn, you learn to sneak study time whenever you get the chance, and when you get that chance,
you make it count. I used to set aside whole days to study and, if I’m honest, a good portion of that day
would be spent on Facebook and watching YouTube videos. This worked back then, but now I feel guilty
when I’m studying and my wife Lianne is looking after Isla on her own. This only gets worse when Isla is
having a difficult day.
While my family will always be my first priority, there have been times when I’ve had to put study first in
order to get the necessary work done. When you pay to go to uni and are trying hard for a good GPA, you
have to make the time, because with a little baby to look after, prioritising study doesn’t come naturally
anymore. None of the other work has gone away either, like my job or the housework. As a result, I’ve had to
become more efficient with my time than I was previously.
Isla is such a happy little girl 95% of the time, but she’s got a set of lungs on her when she wants you to
know she’s displeased with something. She loves getting outside—very few things seem to mesmerise her
quite like a walk outside looking at the trees and flowers—and she loves strangers, oddly enough. Everyone
says she looks a lot like me, but I can’t for the life of me fathom why they’d insult her like that! I certainly
don’t see it. She’s got the bluest eyes, just like her mother, but she’s also got her own look and personality,
which surprised me for someone so young, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
To find out how Shane has learned
to juggle family life with a newborn,
study and work, read his blog!
READ
SHANE’S
BLOG