Radios are like Babies

Up until now, I've been the only member of the Ingenious Software team without children. That's made for some pretty interesting conversations at lunchtime (and many other times) as I've watched my co-workers navigate the wonderful world of parenthood. Soon, I'll be able to join those discussions myself. My wife and I are expecting our first child in May of next year, and we're very excited about it.

I've taken to laying in bed on Sunday mornings (I know… don't get used to it) and thinking about the abrupt change that our life is going to undergo. It occurred to me that being a firefighter is actually pretty good practice for being a parent. You have this noisy, cranky thing that requires regular changing (of batteries, anyways) and goes off at random hours of the night. And when it goes off, it might be a matter of life and death, so you have to move quickly - even if you're still pretty much asleep.

Of course, experienced parents (and experienced firefighters - of which many of you are probably both) know that a child is both infinitely more demanding and more rewarding than a firefighter's radio. In a way, that makes me even more excited about what is coming. In my first year as a firefighter, I've had to learn new skills, move outside my comfort areas and be willing to put myself out there for my community. The challenges and the rewards have been substantial, and I feel like I'm a better person for them.

The idea that parenthood will be even bigger, scarier, more challenging and more rewarding is amazing… and terrifying. Hopefully I'll have as much luck with it as I feel I've had with firefighting. 'Cause I think we'll need all the luck (and patience, humor, love and fortitude) that we can get.