For our latest Eizzy Parent feature, we sat down with entrepreneur, business podcast host, and father, Jerome Fenton, to find out what inspires his journey through fatherhood and to share his tips for successful parenting.
1. Tell us about yourself.
My name is Jerome and I'm a proud husband and father to three incredible daughters. I am originally from Bronx, New York but I've lived in New Jersey for the past 6 years. I am the founder of H for Hustle Media, an education and media company designed to inspire and educate young entrepreneurs. I am also the host of the H for Hustle podcast.
2. Has fatherhood changed your perspective on the world in any way?
Fatherhood has definitely changed my perspective on the world in so many ways, but one of the biggest ways it has personally changed my life is through a greater understanding of patience. When my second daughter was born, my perspective greatly shifted and it showed me that learning is an ongoing process - and not just for my kids. My wife and I were learning again through our second (new) parenthood journey, our children were growing and learning about themselves and developing their first sibling relationship, and it made me realize that this process never ends. I've learned to just to be patient because of everyone is learning, step-by-step.
3. What’s the best thing about being a dad?
The best part about being a dad is watching your kids grow up. Having the opportunity to watch, support, and positively influence someone's life is one of greatest honors I've ever had (times three). The unconditional love that has developed in me, first by becoming a husband and then a father, is my daily motivation and the best part of my personal journey through fatherhood.
4. Who’s the cheekiest in your family?
5. What are the most used items in your household?
The dining table, toddler dishes, snack cups, baby wipes, and Clorox wipes are the most used things in my house.
6. What are your favorite Eizzy Baby Products?
In addition to your multipurpose collapsible cups, Eizzy Baby's Diaper Bag Backpack is my favorite item because it's more than just a traditional diaper bag. With three kids, you're bound to have someone spill juice all over themselves, so you'll need a spot in your bag to store wet clothing, like in the separate, lined compartment at the bottom of the bag. Snacks are key - so having a place to carry food, a place to keep fresh diapers, disposable bibs, wipes, and let’s not forget a place for kids' iPads. This bag can comfortably accommodate these items and more. And as a dad, I want a diaper bag that doesn't look like a traditional one. I wanted a sleek and stylish option, and this bag definitely accomplishes that too. It's perfect for travel and also integrates with our strollers to keep my hands free when necessary.
7. How is the diaper bag backpack making "dad life" eizzy-er?
Until we discovered this multi-functional bag, we tried other options, but ultimately decided that this bag is the only one that fits our busy, urban lifestyle needs. It makes my life easier because with three kids, I don't want to carry around something that doesn't have multiple functions or that can’t address all of our daily needs.
8. Would you rather have a self-cleaning house or 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep?
I will definitely have to take the self-cleaning house. Our minis love to dress up, play, and create art so having that all tidied up at the end of the day would be ideal!
9. What's the best piece of best parenting advice you'd like to share with us?
The best parenting advice I can give to new dads is two-fold:
1. Be patient with yourself, be patient with your partner, have patience with the kids. As soon as you think you have your kids figured out, they change, so learn to be patient throughout the parenting process.
2. Listen to your kids, communicate with your kids. Even if your child is not at speaking age, they are still communicating with you. Listening and connecting with them is important because your role is equally as important as that of mom's. They need you too, it's just communicated in a different way. In running a podcast, which isn't often recorded face-to-face, I've learned so much about listening, reading between the lines, and learning to communicate effectively especially when we have different points of view or limited methods of communication. Open and effective dialogue is the key to developing healthy relationships.
Follow Jerome's journey on Instagram at iamjeromefenton, and on the air at hforhustlepodcast on anchor.fm, Youtube, Google Play Music, Spotify, SoundCloud and other major stations.
Discover our stylish and travel-ready diaper backpack, now available in 2 colors