Fabulous reads – Wing it like Jonathan

Winging It, Joanne Jowell, Pan Macmillan, ISBN 978-1-77010-556-0

Winging It – Jonathan Kaplan’s journey from World-Class Ref to Rookie Solo Dad is the story about well known rugby referee and former world record-holder formost Test caps, Jonathan Kaplan’s decision to have a baby by surrogate.

Banish the first thought that pops into mind… he is not gay. Quite the opposite as his career as a rugby ref would suggest.

His busy schedule it seems did not encourage long term relationships and he put his career first. A realist, he knew he was nearing 50 and needed to make decisions and plans if he wanted his dream of being a father to materialise.

The book explains the process in detail and the insights and commentary from the roleplayers; from the agency to the surrogate and egg donor, gives the reader a full picture of what Jonathan went through.

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Not one to balk at challenges, but one who likes to take control, this was indeed a character-building journey for him resulting in the fulfillment of the birth of a son, Kaleb.

Then began another process, that of learning to be a single dad to a baby. He had much help and his mother, however, it is still a daunting task to which he had to
apply himself to, and now reaps the rewards.

Jonathan said in the book how Kaleb’s first smile bonded him to his son who took his first steps at eight months, trained for one and half months more, and completed the 56-metre Two Ocean Nappy Dash – a proud moment for the dad who went on to organise a celebratory first birthday party.