Dad Of The Month!

Drew Coleman

Where do you live?
My family and I live in suburban Portland, Oregon. My wife's family has lived here for many years and I think Portland is a wonderful place to raise a family.

What is your profession?
I am a Realtor with The Hasson Company Realtors.

What are your hobbies/interests?
I love doing pretty much anything involving my family or sports. I greatly enjoy playing and watching basketball. I treasure anytime the family and I can sneak away...to the zoo, out with friends, to the park. I really love spending time with the people who are close to me in any way I can. I love doing ancestry research online...for some reason it is really fun. I look forward to when my children are a little older and we can take some ski trips together.

What do you drive?
I drive a 1998 BMW 528i.

What are you reading?
I am currently reading Independence Day by Richard Ford. It is a Pulitzer Prize winning novel largely revolving around a realtor and his relationship with his son through the events of Independence Day weekend. It is a fun book to read, however I wouldn't use it as an guidebook for parenting.

What music are you listening to?
I am listening to a lot of what I'd call modern easy listening...Jack Johnson, Jason Mraz, & Gavin DeGraw. Usually I listen to music which is somewhat light and is great background music while I'm working. Also, it puts me in a good mood.

What's the last movie you saw? How would you rate it?
Hmm....we watched part of Remember the Titans recently. Great flick about the merging of a white and a black school and following their football team through one season. The movie is very inspirational and shows the positive way people can overcome their differences.

How long have you been married?
My wonderful wife Marisa and I have been married 6 years.

Kids names and ages?
Sydney 2 and Elijah is a newborn (6 weeks - 2 months in March).

Describe your favorite family vacation?
We haven't had a chance to take many with the kids so young...but we were able to go to New York City to visit my wife's best friend and it was fun to see the "Big Apple" from a resident's perspective. There is a phenomenal amount of energy there. It was also moving to view the site of the Twin Towers; it brings home the scope of the tragedy that occurred. Marisa and I are looking forward to going back in a few years when the rebuild is complete.

Your thoughts on being a Dad?
Certainly being a dad is the best job I could ever have. I remember my father-in-law saying at our wedding that "You can't explain how much you love your kids. You just do." I love my wife with all my heart but it was a decision to love her that way. The minute your children are born, you love them without having to make a decision. I'm convinced my children are the cutest, brightest, kindest, funniest, etc. etc. children every gracing the face of the earth and I'm sure every dad feels the same way about their own children. I look forward to but am also aware of the responsibility of raising them as they continue to grow. I feel like moms are considered to be the main-part of parenting on our society but I don't see it that way. My wife and I treat our family responsibilities as 100/100 - meaning we both need to give all of ourselves to each other and our kids. I think kids learn a lot by example so it is important to me that I model how to act to my children and that Marisa and I model how to treat your spouse in marriage so that my children can have a successful relationship to model.

How do you juggle family and work?
It is a challenge. I am a Realtor and clients often need to spend a lot of time with me evenings and weekends; times when they aren't working. I try to balance this by designating some time during the "non-busy" periods to spend with the family; and I also try to take a day off during the week when time allows to spend with the family. I'm sure I have lost clients due to trying to save a little time for my family but there will always be more business to conduct but I can't replace time with my family.

What's your favorite thing to do with your kids?
Any time I get to spend with my kids is great. Running around and tickling them is great fun. Simply holding my newborn son is a wonderful experience. Sydney likes to go to the zoo and look at the giraffes and the tigers.

What advice would you give to new or soon-to-be dads?
Sleep now...and try to be of help to your wife in any way she would like. Mom's do the heavy lifting early on; dad's get their chance to make up for this around the 1 year mark. Raising children is a team effort for my wife and I and we lean heavily on each other. I think that being a dad is the greatest honor and responsibility I could have ever hoped to take on.

What lessons have you learned from your own dad?
My dad is my hero in life. He essentially had to raise himself yet still made a huge success of himself, putting himself through the University of Washington (undergrad) and Stanford (post-grad) on his own and becoming a great success in his profession. He also was the best father a kid could hope for to both my brother Nick and I despite not having that example himself. He was tough yet fair, and loved my brother and I and we knew it. He also always pushed me to be my best.

How have you changed since becoming a dad?
I think that things that I thought were important pale in comparison. I'm also much more conscious about my behaviors as two little ones will mimic a lot of things that I do.

What is your website address?
www.DrewColeman.com or www.ePortlandOregon.com

Do you think the role of Dads today is different than a generation ago? If so, How?
Yes. If so, How? The instantaneous nature of our society means we have to be more diligent and proactive in protecting our little ones. Plus, I think it is important to place limits on kids and not allow them to detach from the real world using technology. I think it is healthy for children to hear no sometimes and know that you won't get everything you want in life the moment you want it.

Being as tech savvy as you are, do you have any advice for digital media storage and capture?
Digital SLR cameras are a great thing. I love pictures, my wife even more so, and we have enjoyed capturing these memories. That is an investment I would recommend. Also, invest in a wide angle lens. Also, back-up all your pictures and videos as they are impossible to replace!

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