Saturday, January 23, 2016

Interview with an Awesome Dad – Jean-François Baril

Name:                                                  Jean-François Baril
Twitter:                                                @jeffbaril
Kids (age):                                           Mikaël (5) & Sabrina (3)

What is the best part of being a father?
The best part, by far, is seeing my kids grow and evolve. Our magic moments are priceless.


What are the most important qualities you want to teach your children? Why?
I believe that paying attention and being responsible are the most important qualities. We are the leader, our children are our image. Every detail that is little to us is huge to them. Being a parent is a great challenge for us adults since we have to manage so many different things at once.

What is your best quality as a dad (What makes you an Awesome Dad)? What do you want to work on?
I think that the fact that I love them so much makes me an Awesome Dad for them. I listen, we play, we cook together and everything just comes naturally.

Unlike my wife, my work schedule is different than the rest of the family so I need to enjoy every little moment.

Favorite activity with your children?
Without a doubt, going to the pool or the beach!

Best moment as a dad?
There are thousands but, if I had to pick one:
My son had an activity at his school. He had to do an oral presentation in front of classmates, teachers and other parents about their parents’ culture (country, food, etc...). My son decided to talk about me, my passion for sports, the Montreal Canadiens, the Montreal Impact, the winter in Canada, etc... All this was in front of mainly Latin American kids and parents. He was by far the most passionate and, I must admit, it made a few tears of pride come down!

If you could give ONE piece of advice to someone who is about to become a father, what would it be?
Don’t listen to anyone around you. Create your own stories and memories!

What is your biggest fear as a father?
Health issues. I don’t know why but with every little headache, stomach ache or other little ailment, I always fear for the worst.

What is the best advice you’ve received about becoming a father? The worst?
Best advice: Encourage and guide your children in their decisions, good or bad.
Worst advice: Sleep while you can because you won’t sleep again until they are 18.

Do you have any fatherhood role models? Who and why?
My father, obviously. He didn’t speak much but, when he did, it meant something. He was very calm, poised, rational and intelligent.

Any embarrassing moments as a dad (aka Dad Fails)?
When my kids act up in public, even if I don’t care what other people around me think, I always try to stay firm and act as I would at home.

Fast forward 20 years. What would you want your child to say about you as a dad when they look back at their childhood?
That I gave them all the tools necessary to succeed in life.

Anything else you want to say? Funny story? A Dad quote?

Last Christmas, when my kids were opening their gifts, they seemed to appreciate every single gift, big or small. Meanwhile, there were 3 or 4 kids who were crying because they didn’t like their gifts. My wife and I were very proud of the way our kids behaved. 

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