Are you ready to meet our last group of finalists in Alamo City’s Super Dad contest? Don’t forget voting will open up to YOU tomorrow! We want our readers to help us determine who will receive the title of Alamo City’s Super Dad. And if you would like to catch up with all of our finalists, you can do so here, here and here.
Voting will be open Friday, June 13– Sunday, June 15 at noon.
Our winner will be announced on the blog on Monday, June 16!
Nik Mimari
Nominated by his wife, Bridget
Bridget’s Words: Within 30 minutes of accepting my husband’s proposal for marriage, I had his two little ones jumping up and down on the couch screaming for joy. This was a moment burned in my heart forever giving me great comfort and pride that my husband to be was truly an amazing father. After a divorce, my husband never missed a beat in parenting and stepped up to the plate to be all that his kids needed in that uncertain time and more. Dad not only did all the fun stuff dads do, but he cooked meals, packed lunches, bought shoes and coats, and wiped away tears. He still does all of that and is the rock my stepkids can always count on.
Nik is a successful lawyer with an extremely full docket that takes him all over Texas, but he very rarely misses a night with his kids often leaving at 4 or 5 am to make sure he is back in town in time to pick them up from school right at 3:00. He cherishes picking them from school 2-3 times a week and getting them set up to do their homework, long before I get home from work. This often means he works late into the night after the kids are in bed, but he manages to get it all done.
My husband is an amazing role model for our kids, not only in his work ethic, but also in his character and faith. He leads our family in prayer every evening at the dinner table and encourages discussion about what’s truly important in life, such as family and faith. He gives them practical advice they will serve them well.
Now don’t get me wrong, Nik is also encouraging a lot of laughs and antics at the dinner table too. He lives for playing catch in the yard, Marco Polo in the swimming pool, and discussing baseball statistics ad nauseam with both kids. His kids are truly the light of his life and his pride and joy. They adore him in return and rightfully so.
Ben Gurwitz
Nominated by his wife, Shana
Shana’s Words: Ben is an exceptional dad two our two daughters. Not only does he work (and enjoys it!) a job that allows for me to be at home, but from the time he arrives back at home in the evening, he is Super Dad incarnate. Bathing the girls? Check. Dishes if I cooked dinner? Check (…unless he is bathing the girls). Getting out of bed when one of the kids cries out at night? Check.
When it comes to being a hands-on parent, about the only thing this man can’t do is stay awake during a kids’ TV show. In games of Hide-and-Seek with Ilana, Ben never lets her win easily, and I think it’s those kinds of challenges that help encourage and channel the tenacity with which Ilana approaches new opportunities. He lights up her bedtime stories with character-appropriate voices and sound effects. He calls Ilana “Sweetie” and “Honey” with a sincerity that makes my heart melt.
When Ben walks in the door, Miriam beams, crawling and reaching for her Daddy. He totes her around with him—to check the mail, to turn on the sprinklers, to change out of his work clothes. Watching him with Miriam, I am reminded I need to let Miriam explore; just this week he has helped her discover how to get herself down to the floor from Ben’s lap on the couch. At night, he keeps a slightly crabby Miriam awake and occupied in an effort to try to maximize our mutual-sleeping time (I would just put her down for the night and cross my fingers she didn’t wake at 5AM).
Where he shines the brightest, though, is in the time Ben watches the girls solo. Between commitments, tutoring, and catching up with girlfriends, there’re sometimes several nights a week I am gone for the dinner/bedtime routine. He enjoys the time with them and never makes me feel like it’s a burden. Sometimes, on weekends, he will take one or both the girls to run errands with him so that I can have a little break. Those errands often include Home-Depot; I love that their Dad is teaching Ilana and Mir about the typically “boy” realm of tools, machines, and repairs.
He is an amazing companion, co-parent, and is one of the most helpful people out there. I love him so much and am so proud that he is my husband and the girls’ Dad.
Sixto Rodriguez
Nominated by Amy Ferraro-Rodriguez
Amy’s Words: Sixto is a wonderful husband and father, and is filling a role that is rewarding but sometimes lonely: Stay-at-home Dad. When we relocated from Virginia to Texas, we decided it would be better for the family for one of us to stay at home with our kids. Being active duty military, it couldn’t be me. Sixto stepped up to the challenge. Being a stay at home parent is challenging enough, and most people will tell you being a military spouse adds another level of stress. On top of all this, we had to set up a few different types of therapies for our son when we relocated.
The reason why I say that this can be a lonely job for Sixto, is that there are very few resources and support for stay at home dads – there usually groups of moms that get together. As friendly as they are, it can still be awkward being the only dad in a group of moms.
Plus, people naturally want to give moms the credit or ask moms the questions about the kids, but don’t realize that in OUR case, dad (or “papi” in our house) knows how our oldest likes his toast or which toy is my youngest’s favorite (today). Sixto has been a super dad with very little support outside our family and deserves to be recognized. If anyone deserves an award, it should be him!
Voting opens tomorrow back here on the blog! You will choose one lucky dad to be named Alamo City’s Super Dad and win a prize package valued at over $1500 from Golf Galaxy, Gustology, TPC San Antonio and Augie’s Barbed Wire Smoke House!
