For the Dads

I ran across this post today from another blog, and I was hooked. It spoke to a topic about which I am incredibly passionate - the need for dads to wake up and realize what an incredible impact they can have on their children, good or bad. This man speaks to the fact that you can quite literally change and shape your child's future with the choices you make as a dad. He says that it's not only okay for dads to cuddle and kiss and love on their kiddos, but it is in fact quite necessary. 


I sat down multiple times trying to write a post about this very thing, and have yet to come up with anything quite as eloquent as this, so on this topic for now, I'm directing you to his blog. This cannot be ignored. It must be discussed. Dads are NOT background noise in their children's lives - they share an equal part of the main event. Dads are too damned important to be taken lightly. We need good dads out there, and I think this starts by driving home the following point with dads: you matter. Your child hears you. Maybe more importantly, he sees you. Every single day. Whatever you spend your time doing from 9-5 at some office is not half as important as what you spend your time doing during bath time. Or story time. The most extraordinary parts of your child's upbringing can very well occur sometime between sitting down to eat dinner and zipping up footed pajamas at bed time. Why would you want to be absent for that? Show up. Be involved. Do NOT defer to mom because it's easier or because she's trying to push you out of the way. You are in this too. 


I cannot begin to express how grateful I am that my son has a strong man in his life. A man who shows him every single day what matters - his family. Bean sees his dad open doors for mama, but also people we've never even met.. Bean watches his dad offer to run a load of dishes when mom is wiped out. Bean knows that bath time with dad can be just as fun as it is with mom (usually better!) Bean knows that hugs and kisses and cuddles aren't relegated to mama. Bean hears his dad say "I love you" no less than a thousand times per week. And I can already tell, at barely more than a year spent on this planet, Bean knows that if he's ever sad, or scared, or hurt, or unsure of himself, he will always find Daddy's arms open and waiting. This, my friends, is pure gold.