DaddiLife
  • Home
  • Family
    • Modern Fatherhood
    • Trying
    • Expecting
    • New Dad
    • Stay At Home Dad
    • Separation
    • Single Dads
    • Step Dads
  • Things To Do
    • Kids at Home
    • Newborn
    • Toddler
    • 5 – 10
    • 10+
  • Health
    • Dad Jokes
    • Fitness
    • Family Meal Recipes
    • Safety
    • Wellness
  • Lifestyle
    • Work / Life Balance
    • Money
    • Education
    • Sports
    • Gear
  • Book Squad
  • Reviews
    • Gift Ideas
    • Family Fun
    • Toys
  • Dads at Work
    • Guides for Dads at Work
    • Case Studies
    • Q&A
    • Mentoring Programme
  • Join
  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Write With Us
  • Home
  • Family
    • Modern Fatherhood
    • Trying
    • Expecting
    • New Dad
    • Stay At Home Dad
    • Separation
    • Single Dads
    • Step Dads
  • Things To Do
    • Kids at Home
    • Newborn
    • Toddler
    • 5 – 10
    • 10+
  • Health
    • Dad Jokes
    • Fitness
    • Family Meal Recipes
    • Safety
    • Wellness
  • Lifestyle
    • Work / Life Balance
    • Money
    • Education
    • Sports
    • Gear
  • Book Squad
  • Reviews
    • Gift Ideas
    • Family Fun
    • Toys
  • Dads at Work
    • Guides for Dads at Work
    • Case Studies
    • Q&A
    • Mentoring Programme
  • Join

DaddiLife

The parenting website for dads

Dad Heroes

Father’s Day Special – Peter Alexander

written by Hugh Wilson 16th June 2018
Peter and girls, Peter Alexander, Fatherhood

Father’s Day means different things to different dads: when you spend your working life following President Trump around the world, it’s especially important.

What does Father’s Day mean to you? To some dads, it’s simply the chance to have a long lie in and some uninterrupted time in front of the World Cup.

To others, it’s a chance to reflect on what fatherhood means to them. Peter Alexander is the national correspondent for NBC News in the US. He can be found at White House press conferences, or – most recently – in Singapore for the US/North Korea summit.

But most importantly, Peter is the dad of two daughters, five-year-old Ava and Emma, three. “At the end of the day, being a dad is more important than anything else in my life,” he says.

To celebrate Father’s Day 2018, we talked to Peter about the sort of challenges we all face as dads: balancing a demanding job with family life, making sure we’re around for the countless pleasures children bring, and falling asleep on the sofa.

When you visit your mom / grandmother and end up sleeping on the couch. Mothers are the best ♥️ #likefatherlikeson #sleeping #visiting #sleepingprince #sleepingfatherandson #superdads_feature #sleepingdad #sleepingdaddy

A post shared by Christopher Symoens (@_chriscrosss_) on Mar 26, 2018 at 8:31pm PDT

What does Father’s Day mean to you? Do your daughters make a big deal of it?

Peter: Ava hand-delivered me several Father’s Day cards with “DADDY” scribbled across the front, so I think I’m in good shape. For me, Father’s Day is really a family day. These days, fresh off of a presidential trip in Singapore, I wanted my wife, my girls and me to have a whole day to ourselves. I think the most special Father’s Day is a day when we get each other’s undivided attention.

How easy do you find it to combine fatherhood with a demanding job?

Peter and girls, Peter Alexander, Fatherhood

Peter: At the end of the day, being a dad is more important than anything else in my life, which makes it that much more challenging to balance work and fatherhood, especially when work can occupy my days from dawn to dusk. My goal is to focus on making sure when I am home – and with my girls – that I put down my phone and focus exclusively on them.

What have you found to be the most satisfying part of fatherhood (up to now)?

Peter: Watching my daughters play together.

Obviously, it’s not always happy-joy-joy. My youngest has a Ronda Rousey streak in her, so things occasionally get ugly, but in those quiet moments, seeing them together as sisters – and best friends – is what makes me most proud.

How similar – or otherwise – is your parenting style from that of your own dad? What did you learn from him?

Peter: My wife jokes we’re both really good at falling asleep on the couch. But the chief lesson he taught me stuck: Family first. The rest is details. Each day, I believe I honor him by working to pass on that love to my daughters. A native Chicagoan, my dad raised me as a die-hard Cubs fan. I’m indebted to him for so many shared memories rooting on the Cubbies: road-tripping to spring training or just sitting together on the couch watching WGN. My daughters prefer ballet to baseball, but what really matters is that we enjoy it together.

“The chief lesson my dad taught me? Family first. The rest is details”

Given your career, do you ever get dad guilt – feeling like you’re not around enough, helping out with the minutiae of family life?

Peter: I was overseas on assignment for Ava’s pre-K graduation, so I got my first real dose of missing a meaningful milestone. It was exactly what I promised myself I wouldn’t let happen, but I watched on FaceTime and kept the camera on through the whole ceremony, mostly so Ava could know I was with her. Still, I’m most guilty about all the everyday moments I miss: sitting together at breakfast, the drop-offs and pick-ups at school, the afternoon swim classes. They’re growing up so fast, and I am doing my best to share in their daily routine whenever possible. That way I’m not just asking about their day; once and a while I get to experience it with them, too.

Father’s Day Special – Peter Alexander was last modified: June 16th, 2018 by Hugh Wilson

Related

Father's Dayfathers day 2018NBC NewsPeter Alexander
0 comment
0
Facebook Twitter Google + Pinterest
Hugh Wilson

fathers day, fathers day 2018, personalised fathers day card
previous post
Father’s Day and the personal touch
healthy snacks
next post
A dad’s guide to baby and toddler snacks

You may also like

The best and worst movie dads

7th March 2018

Do dads have superhuman reflexes?

2nd September 2018

I broadcasted my wife’s labour (with her...

12th July 2018

United in pride

27th November 2018

The rise of the modern day dad...

28th October 2016

Managing your worklife wellbeing – Rob Bravo

10th May 2017

The Design Dad

24th May 2016

The rise of the modern day dad...

28th October 2016

The rise of the modern day dad...

28th October 2016

Three things I wish I knew before...

6th April 2021

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Audiobooks for Dads

Get the latest dad news




Popular Things to Do

  • A Parent’s Guide To Tuff Trays

  • DaddiLifeForce – The Power of Lego

  • DaddiLifeForce – New Years 2017

  • DaddiLifeForce – Chinese New Year

  • Tuff Tray Ideas: Some great ideas for creative tuff trays

Writers Community

Write for DaddiLife


  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Youtube

© 2017 - DaddiLife. All Right Reserved. DaddiLife is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.


Back To Top
 

Loading Comments...