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Ah yes, dadhood. The next step up from adulthood, dadhood is an entirely new experience. Any aging you’d previously experienced will be accelerated through stress, stress and more stress. Kids are great, and I don’t want you to misquote me on that. However, they do have a tendency to make our hair grey and thin much more quickly than we’d like. 

Okay, perhaps that work report was to blame or perhaps the fact that you haven’t done any exercise since the last millennium was a contributing factor, but, whatever the case, it’s time to stop feeling sorry for yourself. It doesn’t matter how old you are, because age shouldn’t deteriorate your looks; it should improve them. Think about when you first hit puberty. Now think about the joy you experienced when puberty ended. Your acne vanished and your patchy facial hair become a nice, even spread of stubble. Age is a good thing, and it’s time you remembered that. Here are some tips to start making the most of your looks.

Good Grooming

Like a dog, every man should groom himself at least fortnightly; perhaps you’ll even want to do it more frequently than that, if you’re feeling adventurous. You could ditch that messy Chewbacca look on your chest, and consider laser hair removal for men. It’s never too late to look young.

Yes, I know things slip through the cracks, because being a dad is a busy, full-time job. Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t take a bit of time out of your day to turn your weathered looks into something with dashing, George Clooney-esque appeal.

Embrace Your Inner Child

The best way to stay young at heart and in looks is to feel young. We’re all told we have to grow up once we enter our twenties, but who’s watching when you’re a grown man in the comfort of your own home? Who’s saying you can’t down a tub of ice cream when nobody’s looking? Who’s saying you can’t play golf indoors? Well, okay, maybe not all the ideas you had as a kid seem so logical now, but you get the idea. It’s good to let yourself smile and just be you. You’re a dad, and that gives you a free pass to be an idiot sometimes. Your children love it when you goof around.

That’s the great thing about being a dad. You have children, and that’s the best excuse on earth to keep acting like a child. You’ll be doing it for them, and not at all because you want to… You could put on a puppet show at bath time with your kid. We both know you’ve wanted to reenact that fight from Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi ever since you were a kid. Of course, you may have to put on a Peppa Pig or The Muppets show, depending on how old your kids are. Remember, you’re an “adult”, dad. It can’t all be about you, unfortunately.

Maybe Start Eating A Little Better

It’s easy to say that beer belly has come along because you’re not as young as you were, but that’s the thing: you’re not as young as you were. You can’t run as fast as you used to, and you can’t eat as much as you used to. You’ve accepted the first, but perhaps you’ve not accepted the second. Your metabolism has slowed down, and that means you can’t finish an entire packet of digestive biscuits in one sitting any more.

The thing is that you could have a better metabolism than you’ve had in years, but you have to start eating properly. Your body won’t do the work for you, but there’s no reason that anybody at any age should have a beer belly. You could be rocking a six pack if you really wanted. Let’s take it one step at a time, though.

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