Sometimes, fathers are often seen as the happy-go-lucky ones, while mothers are on the opposite side of the spectrum—the mature parent who is more hands-on when it comes to parenting.
This father’s day, Erwan Heussaff, Anne Curtis’ other half and the father to cute and oh-so-adorable Dahlia, sheds light on why dads take more time to adjust.
“I always tell people, mothers get to experience the full spectrum of pregnancy, men do not. When men become dads, it's almost shocking, because we didn't feel anything inside, you don't really feel the pregnancy,” he tells Manila Bulletin Lifestyle in an interview. “So it really is, when it happens, it's just really shocking. Which is why most dads freak out in the delivery room, because all of a sudden, you go from seeing a belly to seeing a human.”
From then on, it is a challenging yet fun and exciting journey for every father. As they see his family and baby grow together, Erwan, too, is seeing improvements in how he sees things.
“It’s something that, really, day-by-day kind of grows on you,” he says. “And that bond just strengthens. And I loved every step of it. Every process and how it just challenges you. It challenges everything around you, it gives you a new perspective on how to approach life for what's really important, what's not important. It’s just been such a great filter for me.”
Erwan also admits that fatherhood helps him to become a better person. “It sets you straight in the sense that it really reprioritizes everything,” he shares. “And you learn how to be better. In my particular case, just learning how to be better at what I do. But also knowing that family, those family values, and that family time contributes to everything you do also. And it just kind of benefits you as a person, if you allow it to.”
It is no secret that Erwan owns several businesses, such as restaurants and a media company. He openly shared that it became a challenge to balance everything at some point. “All of my businesses are in some kind of growth stages,” he says. “So they require a lot of time and attention. And obviously, having a child also requires a lot of time and attention. It's understanding the balance. I never realized I was a workaholic until I was a dad, because then I realized, Oh, maybe I'm working too much today. Or maybe I should be going home a bit early.”
Erwan believes that fatherhood shouldn’t hinder a man from setting a personal goal and working toward achieving his dreams. “That's been kind of like the biggest challenge is trying to do both— growing companies and still achieving your dreams and goals, but also being the best parent, the best dad you can be,” he says. “Be as hands on as possible. It’s not necessarily balancing that schedule, but knowing how to see when it comes to work, and knowing what to prioritize and what's really important.”
Speaking of time, the Chingolo restaurant co-founder says he makes sure he has at least two hours per day to work out, and the rest of the day goes to business and spending quality time with Dahlia and Anne. That’s why, his little personal wish this Father’s day is to have his own treadmill at home so he doesn’t need to travel to the gym anymore and instead use that time to be with his family.
“So what people don't tell you is that becoming a parent is terrifying. Like you never looked at disease the way you do now. A slight cough will freak you out. Like you always want to rush her to the hospital anytime anything happens. And so mine [wish] honestly, just health. As long as my baby's healthy, I'm super happy. In terms of personal things that I might want, maybe a treadmill so that I can work out at home as well."
Erwan looks forward to celebrating Father's Day at home with his family this Sunday.