Nathan Stucky will be spending Father's Day today with his two boys and he wouldn't have it any other way.
The 33-year-old Marshalltown resident is heavily involved in the lives of his sons Evan, 4, and Sullivan, 1 (soon to be 2).
"We spend a lot of time together," Stucky said, who has been married to Megan since 2004. "It's important for me to get to know them really well."
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T-R PHOTO BY ANDREW POTTER
Nathan Stucky is pictured Wednesday during his lunch hour in his backyard with his boys Evan, 4, and Sullivan, 1. He and his wife Megan live in Marshalltown with their sons.
Nathan, the son of Dean and Denise Stucky of Marshalltown, has four siblings and always loved caring for children.
"I always knew that I was destined to have kids," he said.
He is captivated by the innocence of children and their desire to learn more. Even though he thought he was ready, one can't be totally prepared for what to expect as a parent.
"What surprised me the most is the amount of dedication it takes," Stucky said.
The family loves trips to the Marshalltown Public Library, Marshalltown Family Aquatic Center, Community Y, reading books and playing together in their yard. Stucky is human resources director with the City of Marshalltown, which means he is constantly communicating with people. When he comes home he keeps up that effort.
"I'm very verbal around the house with the boys," the 1997 Marshalltown High School graduate said. "I ask a lot of questions."
Nathan's parenting skills are not lost on his wife, who feels fortunate to have him in her life and influencing their children.
"I could not ask for a better dad," Megan Stucky said. "He is involved. I'm very lucky."
Megan is an orchestra teacher with Marshalltown schools and the couple met while attending University of Northern Iowa. With their work schedules, there will be times when Nathan will have the boys himself and be out in the community. He'll occasionally get compliments about being an involved dad.
He also does research and reads up on parenting ideas and tips. With today's world of both parents working outside the home, Stucky reflects the modern dad.
"We have pretty equal roles with the boys," he said.
He also said they appreciate the job of childcare by Kim and Allan Smith of Marshalltown when both Stuckys are working.
Stucky strongly believes in making the right decisions to serve as a role model for his boys since "they are always watching."
As the years go on and his children grow, he wishes for them to have experiences which enlighten and enrich their lives.
"I want them to be able to kind of dabble in a lot of different things and see what interests them," he said. "I want them to have as many opportunities as they can."