“It’s 100 percent changed how I approach my work and my life,” Jackson shared with Mr. Porter magazine. The actor further explained that fatherhood has totally shifted his priorities in “every possible way,” from his work to his decision to buy his childhood home in Topanga, California — everything is totally different.
“That has been made so clear to me in this past year. For me to feel good about what I’m doing day to day, my family has to be the central focus,” he explained. Indeed, since the birth of his daughter, Jackson has been planning all of their future adventures, and cannot wait to relive life’s joy through his child’s eyes.
“There are plenty of things left for me to do, but now the thing that gets me excited is experiencing the world through my daughter’s eyes,” he said. “I can’t wait to take her scuba diving. I can’t wait to take her skiing. I can’t wait to read a great book with her. I’m not worried at all she’ll be a wallflower. She’s been a character from the word go.”
Even more than just refocusing on what’s important in life, Jackson also made some apt observations after becoming a first-time dad. “I now recognize how perverse the way that we have set up our society is,” he told the outlet. “There is not a father I know who works a regular job who didn’t go back to the office a week later. It’s robbing that man of the opportunity to bond with his child and spend time with his partner.”
It’s incredible to know, just through his words, how much fatherhood has really impacted Jackson. Along with noting society’s retrograde expectation that new fathers should report back to work without considering paternity leave, knowing how much his priorities have shifted speaks to the impact that first-time parenthood has on a person. We loved reading Jackson’s vulnerable words, and hope that he continues to share his experience and observations.
