Special forces dad. Mission Possible. A short course for a young father. Neil Sinclair

Author's Preface
Let me introduce myself: I am a “special purpose dad” and a certified child care professional and have literally tried all the techniques and methods described in this manual in my own skin. The text has been reviewed and approved by health professionals, so I have complete confidence that the recommendations in this book are in line with current medical understanding of the health and safety of combatants. At the same time, neither the author, nor the consultants, nor the publisher are responsible for the actions taken by the reader on the basis of information gleaned from the book. The upbringing and health of children is a strictly individual matter, and no “Young Father Course” can replace your own common sense and the advice of a pediatrician observing your child.

Consultants:
Rachel Jesse, Dietitian, Member of the British Dietetic Association
Sally Jordan, health visitor
Dr. Janet Majer-Jones, MBBS, BSBS
Damon Marriott, Child Safety Specialist, Britax
Special thanks to Sarah Thorsby

Introduction
Men who raise children (they are also special purpose dads)
I served in the Special Forces Engineer, worked as a physical training instructor, guarded the British mission to the UN in New York, and completed courses in child care. I can honestly say that in my entire eventful life, I have only a few times been overcome by emotions comparable in strength to those that I experienced when I brought my first son from the hospital.
All the books have been read, all the manuals have been studied, and now you and your wife cross the threshold of the house, holding a tiny creature in your arms. For which you are now responsible.
At some point, it became clear to me that my life would be much easier if I had in my hands a quick guide to caring for a recruit - like those brochures that they give you in the army. Absolutely everything is regulated in the army and for every case - from how to shave correctly to how to calculate the distance to the target when shooting - there is an instruction. From the first day of conscription, soldiers follow precisely established rules, and each of them will confirm to you that this is extremely convenient.

I was looking for a similar guide but the books addressed to new dads were either entertaining reading (believe me, gentlemen, if fatherhood sounds like a fun adventure to you, you are cruelly mistaken), or, worse, they were terribly verbose. Try in the middle of the night to find the answer to a specific question in 700 pages of lengthy discussions about the inner world of a baby, when the said baby screams in your arms.

And then I realized that parents, especially fathers, need a short study guide.
You hold such a manual in your hands.
In the very first seconds after the birth of a recruit, an ocean of emotions will wash over you. I remember that I felt both love and fear, embarrassment, confusion and awe. This book is written so that you know what to do.

Just remember that the book contains only recommendations. The main thing is up to you. To be a good father, you will have to constantly put the acquired knowledge to the test of practical experience. So I deduced the first rule of the pope of special purpose.

It may seem insignificant now, but think about it: you don't have much time left to be with your fighter. In a little more than two thousand days, and he will be six years old, which means he will go to school. In less than seven thousand days he will be eighteen.

You may not have to mess with your fighter from morning to evening; perhaps you will see him only on weekends and in the evenings; you may not even be his biological father - none of that matters. One thing is important: the time allotted for you for close communication is limited. By organizing your life with the precision of military regulations, you use it to the maximum benefit.

Let the staff be proud of you. Don't create stressful situations and improve your parenting skills. Be fully equipped. Try to justify the high title of special purpose pope. It's not easy, but you'll know you're on the right track.

The role of a father in a child's life cannot be overestimated. For him, his father is both a hero, a protector, and an example to follow. Become for him and the first, and second, and third. Become the best father in the world. Right now. So, let's start preparing.

How to use the allowance
This book is a guide to action in the field (when you are directly involved in parental maneuvers), so I tried to fit as much information as possible into a minimum of volume.

In addition, I invite you to visit the interactive website created to complement the Young Father Course (www.commandodad.com). On it you will find small video tutorials on how to properly hold a recruit, how to bathe him, how to help him get rid of excess air in his stomach. Of course, there is also the most important video - "How to change a diaper."

Along with common military terminology, the manual also uses special terms that I coined during the years when I served as a special forces pope. At the end of each chapter, I include a small glossary with explanations of the terms used.

Without a doubt, the most important of them are as follows.

• A recruit is a newborn baby.

• Private - a child who has already learned to roll over, crawl, stand up or walk.

By "fighters" I mean both.

In the text you will meet the stamp "Common Sense" and drawings. I have included them in this tutorial to make it as descriptive and as wordless as possible.

Chapter 1. Reconnaissance preparation of the base camp
Formulation of the problem

You are on the verge of a global event that will radically change your whole life. The most effective preparation at this stage will allow you to make the most efficient use of two vital and scarce resources: time and effort.

Target

The main objectives of the first block of training are as follows.

• Preparing the base camp for the recruit's arrival.

• Compilation of a list of equipment needed by the time the recruit arrives at the base camp.

• Preparation of equipment for transporting recruits.

Start preparing the base camp no later than one and a half months before the expected arrival date of the recruit.

Main goals:

• cleaning of the base camp;

• purchase of equipment;

• preparation of a strategic stock of food and clothing allowances;

• the layout of the base camp with the designation of the zones of deployment of the recruit and his equipment.

Base camp cleaning
Base camp cleaning должна быть качественной, однако не следует стремиться к созданию полной стерильности. Are you getting ready to arrive recruit, rather than organizing a field hospital. Even if you managed to get rid of all the germs (which is impossible), the stability of the ideal environment you have created in the conditions of deployment of personnel in the base camp will be minimal. Be guided by common sense. Cleaning should gradually become part of your standard operating procedure (SOP).

Cleaning the recruit's room

It is unlikely that a recruit will immediately sleep in his own room, at least for the first six months after birth. Nevertheless, I recommend to do a general cleaning in it before his arrival at the base camp. As long as there is time.

Fulfill!

• Wipe the walls with a damp cloth.

• Clean carpets and blankets.

• Vacuum upholstered furniture and wipe the rest.

Set aside!

• Paint something in the recruit's room if there is very little time left before he appears.

• Use aggressive cleaning agents.

PROPERLY WASH ALL SURFACES WITH WHICH THE RECRUIT WILL CONTACT. IT CAN BE:

• crib

• baby changing table

• bath.

Always keep your hands clean. Keep your nails short and keep them free of dirt.

Purchase of equipment
What do you need first
hygiene products

• Diapers. If you plan to use disposable diapers, buy one pack of the right size and another one a size larger. Recruits tend to grow rapidly.

• If you are going to use cloth diapers, study the offered range in advance. Do not get carried away buying diapers until you know the exact weight of the recruit. The use of disposable or cloth diapers is an individual choice, according to the preferences and lifestyle of a particular unit, so it is not advisable to spend a lot of money on this type of equipment in advance.

• Baby wipes and cotton balls.

• Cream for diaper rash.

• Oilcloth.

• Special bags for used diapers are not essential equipment. To neutralize a stink bomb, any plastic bag, preferably biodegradable, is fine.

Outfit

• Body - 6 pcs., slips on the buttons - 6 pcs. This is a practical and comfortable shape that provides easy access to the diaper.

• 6 pairs of socks (Warning! Recruits get rid of them easily), which will be needed if your recruit is not wearing sliders.

• 3 pairs of "scratches" so that the recruit does not hurt his face.

• 3 blouses or cotton jackets. It is better to dress recruits in several thin clothes than one thick one.

• 3 cotton caps. The thermoregulation of recruits is imperfect, and a lot of heat is lost through the scalp. If it's cold outside, you'll also need a warm soft hat for walking.

• 2 baby blankets or warm diapers. They are smaller than a regular blanket and are used to wrap up a baby during the day.

Providing food rations

• If the baby is breastfed, it is advisable to have a breast pump, breast