As a regular feature to this blog, I will be publishing interviews with a variety of fathers, all working to some degree, who will share their perspectives on life as a father. Below is the first of many, and the subject is Scott Mactavish, author of The New Dad’s Survival Guide (so I thought he might have something entertaining to say about fatherhood) and self-described as “a writer with a filmmaking problem.” You can read his full bio here and check out his blog, too.

Below are Scott’s ruminations. Please let me know what you think.

1. Please use three adjectives to describe yourself.

Frazzled, Optimistic, Hopelessly ironic.

2. Please tell us a bit about your family - number of kids and ages.

Three boys: ages 7, 4, and 22 months. Married a woman far too forgiving and beautiful for a man of my station.

3. What do you do professionally, for how long, and do you enjoy it? Your wife?

Author, filmmaker and journalist for 15 years. Only in this great country can a guy with my opinions get paid to spew them forth. Wife teaches 6th grade language arts at a private prep school.

4. Talk to us about your own work-life balance as well as how you and your wife manage the joys of parenthood and couplehood (or chaos, whichever you prefer).

Balance is a myth, especially when the kids are very small and require serious micromanagement. We work hard at making the chaos fun, with music and humor, and work even harder at couplehood due to the time constraints.

I must constantly remind myself that I was once ‘Scott’ before I became ‘dad.’

5. You don’t have a typical 9-5 office job - does that make things easier and more flexible? How does a typical day in your family unfold?

I work longer hours than most…seven days a week, and at odd hours. This allows me to drop kids off at school and attend functions. As a creative person, I have an office outside of the home, otherwise I’d get nothing accomplished.

6. What is the most difficult thing about life as a father?

Time management and patience.

7. What is the one piece of advice you’d give to a new father?

Your children are far more intuitive than we can imagine. Speak to them kindly, use humor and leave the room if you feel like screaming at the ‘F-word’ when you step on a Lego with bare feet.

8. What is the one thing you could not do without on a daily basis?

Exercise, bison burger with onions, and bourbon. OK, not really. Just the exercise.

9. What is one thing you wish you could change about your current situation?

More fun time with the wife, more travel flexibility. (Kids are still too young for extended travel.)

10. Loaded question: Do you think fathers don’t get enough cred?

The fathers that put forth effort get total cred, and it comes from the most important source…the kids.

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