Dental School and Beyond: The Power of Dad

Thank you to Oral-B for sponsoring this post. To learn more about their Power of Dad campaign, please click here.

The majority of my marriage and Justin’s fatherhood has been spent in dental school, and while it was hectic and stressful a lot of the time, there were some really important lessons to come out of that journey.

Jack and Zoe watched their father study on the weekends, they came into the University clinic more than once for cleaning and checkups with Justin or a professor, and they sat at his graduation ceremony and watched him receive his diploma. Education and dentistry are key parts of their childhood, but more than that they were fortunate enough to watch him achieve something fantastic in his life while also being an incredibly involved and wonderful dad.

In between the taxing demands of dental school, Justin always made time for the kids no matter what. He’d take them to the parks after school and on the weekends, he always did his “daddy’s school” while I made dinner which would often involve the alphabet and a white board, and he’d read them stories at night or give them baths. Nothing would make them laugh harder than when Justin would get involved and play with them.

It seems only appropriate that we would team up with Oral-B who is working with Eli Manning- New York Giant’s quarterback and the March of Dimes on their Father’s Day Campaign to celebrate these prized moments and honor dads. Oral-B as a brand has always been a part of our household and lives, but never more so than when Justin began his path to practicing dentistry. From early on in his formal education, he’d come home with Oral-B toothbrushes for us, the kids, and the kid’s friends and families.

Now that we’re on the flip side of dental school and he has an actual job that he goes to part time, Justin’s much more involved at home and those fun, “daddy moments” are happening more often and during the normal routine of school, homework and dinner. No matter how much Justin loves his career though, there is nothing that will make brushing a two-year-old’s teeth fun. We’ve tried tickling him, distracting him, sitting him on the counter in front of the mirror, allowing him to brush his own teeth… He is uproarious about this task. Every. Single. Night.

Neither Jack or Zoe ever hated brushing their teeth as much as Beau does, but even then it wasn’t the most fun part of our night. I felt it only appropriate to deem this parenting task Justin’s duty, and while I do think he appreciates the opportunity of peeking inside of their mouths on a daily basis, it’s not exactly FUN for him. Not while Beau is kicking and screaming and giving it his complete ALL to get his way out of it, anyway.

The nights always end on a good note, though. Inevitably, Justin will rile them all up, chasing and tickling and wrestling all of them-including Theo who probably enjoys it the very most-until they’re all way to wound up to sleep. Isn’t that just like a daddy?

Justin reads and sings to Zoe and sits with Jack while he reads his chapter books, and I do the same with Beau. Every night, no matter how challenging the day is on any level, I am grateful for Justin and the way he parents his children. He truly lives and thrives in the little moments with them, the ones that are truly the makeup of our lives.

To get involved, visit powerofdad.com, where Oral-B has brought the little moments between dads and their kids that power the biggest smiles, and share your favorite fatherhood moment and photo with #powerofdad.

Thank you to Oral-B for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own.