Last weekend, I attended my second Dad 2.0 Summit, a conference for dad bloggers. On the surface, the conference was about bloggers and their partnerships with marketers and the media, but at its core it was so much more.
This year there was a common theme throughout the conference, a theme of legacy.Bloggers read posts about it, bestselling author Brad Meltzer talked about it, there was even an announcement of a new Camp Kesem chapter to honor the legacy of late dad blogger Oren Miller. Legacy was everywhere.
Right alongside legacy, there was another common theme that spoke to me the entire time, the theme of having a second act. In addition to his talk about legacy, Brad Meltzer, mentioned how he reinvented himself several times in his life. He started off as an adult fiction writer, then as he became a father, noticed there was a void of biographical books for kids that talked about the hero’s lives when they were kids. What did he do? He started writing those books, which became bestsellers as well.
Another speaker at the conference that set a great example of having a second act was NFL Hall of Famer Michael Strahan. Strahan made the unlikely transition from professional football to morning talk show host. There’s no doubt people watch his show and have no idea of his previous career. But he did it. He took a chance. He had a second act.
And closing keynote speaker, Derreck Kayongo? You won’t even believe the ways he’s transformed himself, especially when you consider where he started, as a Ugandan refugee. He’s another perfect example of someone with a successful second (and third) act.
Is it time? Is it time for my second act?
You see, I’ve been a stay-at-home dad for the last five years. When the new school year starts in August, all three of my kids will be in full-time public school. Where does that leave me? Don’t get me wrong, I will always, in some form or fashion, be a stay-at-home dad. Just because my kids are in school, doesn’t mean the jobs and household duties will get less and less around here, but there will also be void I will likely feel the need to fill. It seems like a natural point to reevaluate my goals and my aspirations.
So what’s next for me? There are so many possibilities, every possibility, in fact. Of course I’m the primary one responsible for managing my house which I really like doing. I’m on the front lines at my kid’s school. I still love writing my blog and hope to continue to do that for as long as possible. But what’s next for me? I have a few tricks up my sleeve and I’m as excited as ever about a couple of new projects on the horizon.
Thanks Dad 2.0 for the camaraderie, the inspiration, the motivation, and the brotherhood. I’m forever grateful.
Off to plan my second act. How about you?
-Pete
