START HERE: What I Wish I Knew Before Becoming a Dad – Honest Reflections to Help New Dads Prepare

Alright, let me level with you. This blog won’t suit everyone. But I’ll be giving advice and tips that I wished Will Zhong pre-5 February 2025 had. 

I always knew that being a dad would be difficult—the sleep deprivation, reprioritising social life and career. But I never knew it’d be this difficult.

Perhaps it’s because I didn’t have to carry around a baby in my belly for months—not to mention the countless changes to my body and hormones that come with that.

Or maybe it was my preference to deal with problems as they arise and figure it out without following an instruction manual. But honestly, I reckon it was also a bit of hubris on my part—I thought maybe I could just wing it and adjust.

Boy, was I wrong.

If you have a similar style to dealing with problems, then you’ve come to the right place! I'll be (trying to) post fortnightly updates on lessons learned so you can hopefully avoid the mistakes that I've made.

With less than 50 dad days (at the time of writing) under my belt, I already know there is going to be a lot to becoming a dad. So to help gather my thoughts and hopefully provide you with practical advice, I’ve categorised the posts according to different series/themes as follows:

• Pre-Baby Preparation & Mindset

• Labour, Birth & Hospital Support

• Bringing Baby Home & Surviving the First Weeks

• Bonding & Busting Dad Myths

• Handling Challenges & Frustrations

• How Family and Friends Can Support New Parents 

• Having Fun & Appreciating the Journey

  
  

Most importantly, the Latte Dad journey is best enjoyed in the company of others, so please leave a comment if there are any topics or themes you’d like to see covered. 

I look forward to hearing what others think and to enjoying the rollercoaster ride that is parenthood.

-Will

Where was I writing this?

22/3/25: Home (large almond cappuccino with Inglewood Roosevelt beans — chocolatey, slightly over-extracted, skipped the choc powder).