Any time you feel something is so good you should have done it sooner, then you know it's a great thing.

That's how Jeremy Mullings, 37, feels about being a father. His son is now nine months old.

"The best thing about being a father is hard to put into words but it is the fulfilment I get when I see the changes in my son and how he develops," he said. He continued, "Also, knowing that I have the chance to pass on knowledge that will mould my son to stand up and survive in the real world." He admits he was intimidated by the responsibilities that come with fatherhood, "But now I am just loving the feelings and looking forward to overcoming the challenges."

An eye-opener

Becoming a father has made him see things differently.

"I was always a risk taker. But now I calculate the risk a little more. You appreciate time a little more, time to be spent with your family. The emphasis on being around for them is now the priority," he explained.

"When it hit me I was a father I was very excited but also felt a strong need to change my lifestyle to meet the responsibilities and sacrifices that come with fatherhood," he said. On that point, the doomsayers always have something to say about raising children in 'these times'. Mullings is cognisant that there are things to give you a few chills as a parent.

"My biggest worry is not being able to see him through. I really would like to see him on his own two feet and standing as a man," he said. Flair asked what was the one lesson he felt he must pass on to his son.

"To be confident and to stand by the morals he's been taught, regardless of the consequences," Mullings said. He also had words of advice for those men who aren't sure they want to become fathers.

"Don't do it before you're ready. The responsibility of fatherhood should never be understated. If you're not ready ... then leave it alone!" He says he still likes his freedom (like hanging out with his peers), so being a father is a change. "But it's a nice change," he says.

"When you come home and see the response ... it's worth it. All the sacrifices are worth it," he said.