An Interview with Rob Jaskiewicz.
Rob Jaskiewicz is a father of three girls, Olivia, 25, Madeline, 22, Charlotte, 19. Rob is married to Sally – a Nurse and is a Financial Consultant with ARA Consultants. Specialists in super, insurances and financial advice. Rob is the voice of experience having over 25 years as a father. He talks all aspects of fatherhood and tells some great stories. A great listen from a man that knows.
Key Points of Interview
Type of Dad
Wanted to be a different parent compared to the parents he had. Robert had older parents that struggled to be involved, so Rob wanted to be involved with his kids.
Rob Jaskiewicz discusses how this has affected the way he approaches his fatherhood.
Tell the story about your transition between being without Children to being a Dad?
Rob tells the story about transitioning from looking after a cat to looking after children.
Although it was 20 plus years ago, he recalls as if it was yesterday, the sleeplessness, the dependence and the toll on his wife.
Rob Jaskiewicz discusses the transition of the stress his wife was under to him.
It is survivor…
Hear the story of the night gown…
Robs advice is to do more than you have to.
What struggles did you have with the transition and a time where you may have felt like you messed up?
Decided that he wanted to be a calm Dad, but found this difficult. Rob discusses the anger that men can experience from not being able to do simple things without interruption.
Rob believes that men need to come to terms with this as it will achieve nothing and there is no reasoning.
Rob talks about how he then found a way to involve the kids.
Tell me the story about how you and your partner created balance in your relationship? Ensure you get time together.
Rob Jaskiewicz met his wife on a boy’s bus trip. All three of the lads on the trip met a girl and all three went on to marry those respective wife’s.
The discussion moves into the experience that most couples seem to have in the early stages in that you have too much on your plate and have to manage a lot which has detrimental effects on your relationship.
Whilst Rob Jaskiewicz is not religious, he and his wife became involved in the functions of the church and believes that this saved his social life.
Rob talks about a date night every Thursday, taking the Bins out.
Give the listeners your experience in balancing career and family. What in your opinion is the key?
Rob Jaskiewicz believes that the key to balancing career and family is to have your focus in the right place. Rob’s focus was the wife and kids.
Whilst Rob watched other dads going out with mates and away in the weekends, he remained at home with the kids.
Sometimes work has to come first, but so long as family comes first the majority of the time “you are on a winner”.
Rob Jaskiewicz plans his activities around his family, getting up to run at 5am before the rest of the family get up.
We also discuss when the pendulum returns and you start to get more time back.
What is your biggest worry when it comes to your children and how/what are you doing to mitigate these concerns?
Rob’s biggest desire is to have his kids grow into well rounded adults.
Like most parents his concerns were around mixing with the wrong people, drugs and inappropriate behaviour.
Rob talks about how he realised he had always mixed with good people and that inevitably this is osmosed to the kids and they have chosen to mix with good people.
Form Rob’s experience he believes it is the early years that influence the later years.
Rob provides an example of neighbours that had an opposite experience of remand centres and pregnancy.
Proudest Dad Moment?
Rob talks about his first experience in looking after all three girls on his own. It was the opportunity to be the total Dad.
Rob dobs the rest of us Dads in and suggests that Mums should go away more often and leave the guys to it. What are you saying Rob…???
It is a great opportunity to bond.
There is also an anecdote about incentives.
Power Dads
- Favourite Dads Toy: DVD Collection
- Productivity tool or website: Observing other dads
- Ensure time for yourself: Playing sport
- Innovative Discipline: Community Service
- Family Tradition: No family traditions
- Personal Habit: Having a clear goal as to what type of father you want to be.
Legacy Question
Be Happy
Final Tip
Be the calm one, the reasonable one the fun one.
Contact
