Dwyane Wade

After receiving sole custody of my two children, my world turned upside down - for the better. I suddenly needed to operate in a Mr. Mom/Dad role at the same time and it’s been a whirlwind! I find that I am not alone in this scenario and that there are a lot of single moms and dads out there doing the best they can to provide a nurturing and stable environment for their children.

In the midst of doing so, we have jobs and careers that sometimes require time away from our children. As an NBA athlete, travel time can be 1-2 days away and sometimes as long as a week. I’m grateful to have a strong support team of family and friends that help out to ensure that my kids don’t miss a beat while I’m on the road working. I also do my part to make sure that I stay involved and connected while I’m on the road. Whether it’s through phone calls, text messaging or our personal favorite, Skype, I ensure that there are different times throughout the day that my boys will know that I am thinking of them and that I am staying on top of their school work and chores.

When I return home from traveling, no matter how tired I am, I give my children my undivided attention. I know my first day back from my trip will be filled with hearing stories about friends, school, games, etc. and I make sure that they know that I am listening, interested and attentive. We all know the one thing that children crave is their parent’s attention.

In staying connected, I also make sure that they are connected with their mom. We have set times for daily calls and I even keep a calendar near their beds so they can count down the days when they will see her again. I strongly believe that the connection should be with both parents and both parents should encourage that!

I’m looking forward to sharing some of my stories here on the Pepperidge Farm Goldfish website in addition to sharing some ideas that may be helpful to you. I’m even more excited to read and learn from you as well, because I don’t have all of the answers. There is no guidebook on parenting and as the old adage goes – it takes a village to raise a child!

-- Dwyane Wade