Hey, tiger, congrats on the new baby!
You can't imagine how thrilled I was to hear you tell a reporter that being a dad is "more important than any game of golf." I wish LeBron James had shown the same commitment a few weeks ago when he announced that he wouldn't miss an NBA playoff game to be present at the birth of his second child. (Fortunately, his girlfriend was accommodating enough to have the baby, a boy, Bryce Maximus, between games.) But we've come a long way since 1993, when the Houston Oilers fined tackle David Williams more than $100,000 for missing a game when his son was born.
(Click here to see photos of Tiger, Elin and the new baby.)Just about everyone knows the stories about how your father's focused nurturing helped make you into the Tiger we all know and love. What they don't know is that while Earl was teaching you about golf, he was also teaching you what it means to be a dad. Now of course the pressure's on — on little Sam Alexis to be a great athlete and on you to be like your dad and help her become one. One important difference, though: Earl was raising a boy, and you have a girl.
As a guy with daughters, I have a few thoughts for you. The worst mistake you can make is to treat Sam differently than you would a boy — female is not a synonym for fragile. At the same time, take your cues from her and don't try to turn her into a boy.
Sure, give her a toy golf club to play with, but don't be surprised if she wraps it in a blanket and rocks it to sleep. Wrestle with her every day, but learn how to braid her hair and be prepared to log some hours assembling tea parties and dollhouses. Take her to the driving range, and then to ballet. Teach her how to putt, but let her paint your fingernails pink. Bottom line: Help her discover who she wants to be and support her every way you can.
Finally, take a big, deep breath and jump in — don't ever pass up a chance to change a diaper or read Sam a story. It has to be a little intimidating to be married to a former nanny, and it would be easy to let Elin deal with all the hands-on baby care. But remember this: The way she got to be good at the whole taking-care-of-kids thing is by making a ton of mistakes. And the only way you're going to feel confident as a dad is by making a bunch of your own.
You're one of the most visible dads in the universe, and your daughter is lucky to have you. It's great that you're making fatherhood such a priority. Millions of men around the world will see you in action and have a positive new role model.
Armin Brott is the author of The New Father: A Dad's Guide to the First Year and Fathering Your School-Age Child. His website is mrdad.com.
