James Deakin on fatherhood, forgiveness and forging memories
James Deakin is a man who wears many hats. Who doesn’t recognize him? He’s a TV anchor, event host, motoring advocate, blogger, and social media personality. But with his multifaceted persona and the hectic schedule that he keeps, it’s his being family man, a loving husband and father to three kids, two boys and a girl, that he values the most. It is no wonder then that watchmaker Technomarine chose to honor him as a truly exemplary dad on Father’s Day.
“Time, it’s the most precious commodity,” Deakin relates when asked about the biggest challenge of being a father. “The harder you work, the more successful you become, the more time becomes precious. So it gets very hard to find that balance.”
Multi media personality James Deakin
His daily schedule can become as erratic as the next, starting as early as 5 a.m. As someone who doesn’t keep a regular office job, making time for his family is indeed a challenge. There are are compromises, he admits, especially since he has to work to earn a living for his wife and his growing brood.
“It’s very hard to manage the time, which is why I actually have someone else to do that for me,” Deakin says. “If you get too emotionally invested [in]your schedule, you tend to make the wrong decisions.”
Thus, he makes sure that his weekends are kept free and devoted solely to family time. He is grateful too that his wife Shelly is there to pick up the slack, to manage the day-to-day affairs of the household and take care of their kids while he is abroad. “She’s a wonderful mom and an extremely understanding wife.”
He also makes sure that they take off to the beach during the holiday season up until the New Year. They have done so for the past 18 years, each time a priceless and memorable bonding experience.
Another memorable moment was being able to take his family abroad to Australia. “Going overseas with them was really nice,” Deakin says. “That’s the goal: to do family vacations overseas that’s not attached to work, like take five or six days off. I really want to do a cruise.”
When asked about his parenting style, he is quick to admit that he’s hardly a strict father. “We give them a lot of leeway,” he says, “We don’t put a lot of pressure on them at all.” He would, therefore, like to be remembered as being a flexible, easygoing, and cool dad.
Still, he finds that being honest with his kids is very important, and he draws the line with alcohol and substance abuse. “We don’t sugarcoat. I want to equip them with the tools to make the proper decisions so they will know the consequences of their actions. “
And as for his advice to other dads, Deakin turns sentimental.
“Don’t strive for perfection as we live in an imperfect world. Strive instead for honesty and love,” he says. “Be forgiving and teach them about forgiveness. Set an example.”
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