Fatherhood Unfiltered – Ryan Schell
If you’ve been watching the S+T blog, you’ve read our Motherhood Unfiltered series. We were lucky enough to have moms in the #smashtessfam open up to us about the ups and downs of modern motherhood.
With Father’s Day coming up, we knew we wanted to shine that same spotlight on the phenomenal dads out there killin’ it. Just like our mamas, men need a space free of judgement and shame to share experiences and insights on how modern dads are doing it.
Dads make a difference. Just like women have always had the power to run a company, men have always had the power to nurture their families. Our Fatherhood Unfiltered series digs deep to look at how fatherhood is evolving, shares how men step up for their families, and celebrates those stellar dads making a big difference.
We kicked off the series with Ryan, who is the Distribution Centre Manager for Smash + Tess. Ryan makes sure the warehouse runs smoothly and given the love and care he shows our collections, we can see why his kids are so excited when he gets home! Warning, there’s some vomit talk – we did say this was a space for honest and open sharing! So kick back, relax, and get ready to get real with Ryan.
Tell us a little bit about yourself! Who are you, where are you from, and how are you related to Smash + Tess?
I was born in Montreal, moved to Ottawa at a young age, and then to Vancouver in 2012. I joined Smash + Tess in January 2022 as the DC Manager.
What is your favourite part about being a dad?
Watching my son grow and helping to shape his personality. Nothing is better than coming home from work and seeing his face light up because he can play with Dad now! I think to myself at times how crazy it is that I'm very important to my son and how much he looks up to me like I looked up to my father.
What has been the biggest lesson that fatherhood has taught you?
How important your relationship with your partner becomes. When a kid enters the picture, both of your attention focuses primarily to them (rightfully so) and it can be easy to forget to make time for your partner. Making time for each other is very important.
What do you wish more dads talked about?
How difficult it can be to balance work, family, friends, and also personal time. This isn't just restricted to dads, it's also important for moms, but it isn't something that's talked about much.
When you first became a dad, did anything stand out for you as being surprising or unexpected?
I never did well with vomit or poop, but if my kid starts heaving I will put my hand underneath his mouth to try and catch as much vomit as I can without a second thought. It doesn't help much, he always vomits more than I can hold, but I still try.
What is some of the best advice you have received about being a parent?
It gets tough for everyone, you aren't a bad parent feeling overwhelmed at times trying to balance everything. It's best to step away and collect yourself for a few minutes as long as the child is safe.
Which dads do you look up to?
All dads that have a positive impact in their child's life. Any dad that has their child excited to see them come home deserves recognition for doing a great job.
Thanks for being our inaugural Fatherhood Unfiltered feature, Ryan! We wish you a fantastic Father’s Day with your family, and that goes for all the dads out there.