He may be a well-known sportsman, but there may be one thing that Springbok Sevens star Justin Geduld loves just a little bit more than rugby, and that’s his daughter, Niyah.
But becoming a first-time parent is never easy, even for the most equipped individual!
We sat down with Justin, who shared some personal insight into the life of his most prized accolade – “dad”.
- Everything in life changes.
Nothing is ever about you anymore – which isn’t a bad thing, it just takes quite some time to get used to. Your little one always comes first, in every way possible, be it schedules, food time, needs, priorities or simply who gets to bed first haha.
Priorities change when you become a parent and you learn what is really important. There were so many things that I once considered important in life, which I no longer even think about.
- Teamwork makes the dream work.
This saying really and truly rings true to the heart! My partner is everything and without her I wouldn’t be half the dad I am today! Being a sportsman is demanding in so many ways already, but being a sportsman and a dad, is even more challenging when you’re missing milestones, and away for so many weeks on end. At the end of the day, it comes down to balance and learning to balance career, lifestyle and family and having a partner who is as committed to our family as I am, is truly a blessing. She holds our home together, whilst always offering me and my dreams support and love.
Raising a family takes a strong team – and I found the best teammate in the world.
- Babies grow up so quickly
One minute they are a month old, the next they’re 8 months old. Time flies and you have to capture and appreciate every single moment you have with your little one. But, also, being a first time dad, we bought everything we thought our baby would need and “stocked-up” on as many things as we thought were necessary, but in actual fact, they grow up and grow out of them so quickly that you don’t need half of what you bought. You’ll find yourself using the same necessities over and over again, the ones you’re used to and the ones baby loves, and everything else sits on a cupboard haha. Buy what you NEED, not just for the sake of buying.
- Parenthood is scary!
To face the fact that you’re in charge of a beautiful little being can be super scary! To realise that this life is your responsibility is scary. There are a lot of things that can become overwhelming, but the truth is you won’t know everything – you simply have to just go with the flow. As time passes you will learn, and the more I listened to my inner dad-voice, the more I eased up and found that I was becoming a better dad because I was trusting my own inner knowing. No one knows how to be the perfect parent, but I can only hope to be the best parent for my daughter.
- I’m still in a relationship.
Although welcoming a baby into this world is an incredible blessing, it reminded me why I fell in love with my partner in the first place and also that our relationship should not be neglected now that we have someone else to focus on. Spending quality time alone with my partner is just as important as spending time together as a family. We were a unit before our daughter came around and that bond still needs to be nurtured daily. A strong relationship takes daily effort and commitment. Being able to focus on us as a couple will always help us be better parents in the long run and set a firm and beautiful foundation for our daughter.
GETTING TO KNOW NIYAH:
What is your nickname for her? Pumpkin
How would you describe her personality? Friendly
What word is she currently saying? She can’t talk yet, she is just ooh’ing and aah’ing
What is her favourite toy at the moment? A Butterfly soft toy called Florence
What is her favourite snack? Happy Family Organics teething biscuits – she loves them
Favourite baby brand? Huggies
Date of birth: 23 June 2019
Time of birth: 11h47
