Fatherhood is often celebrated as a great milestone, marked by the arrival of a child. Yet for many men, the journey begins much earlier, in quiet moments of contemplation, whispered questions, and private fears. Long before they ever hold a child, men envision what fatherhood might mean, shaping their readiness not through obvious rituals, but through subtle choices, silent reflections, and the examples they witness around them. Unlike the visible preparations expected of women, men prepare in ways often unseen.
Here are seven things men often consider before ever becoming fathers, told in their own words.