Father | the 80/20 mom

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Today is Father’s Day here in Canada. If you didn’t know it was coming, you might have been tipped off by all the ads for power tools and golf tees. I really appreciated having a day in which I was recognized for all of my hard work being a mom. I think that dads need just as much thanks and recognition as we do.

I would like to take some time to thank my partner for everything that he does for me and our baby. A lot of the work that he does is behind the scenes. He doesn’t stay at home all day caring for Baby P., but he does work hard every day for all of us. When he comes home from work, he walks through the door with a smile on his face and a hello for both of us. If he’s had a shitty day, he puts that aside and doesn’t complain about it. He’ll take the baby as soon as he gets home so that I can get a few moments of rest. And he does this every single day.

He puts the baby to bed almost every night. They have their routine down, and he’s a lot better at getting that little guy to go to bed than I am, I can tell you that.

If the baby wakes in the middle of the night, he’ll go into his room and lay with him until he settles down.

He’ll bathe the baby, or change his diaper, or feed him without me even having to ask.

If I need some time alone, he’ll never complain about having to take care of the baby by himself for a few minutes or hours. He just does it.

He has some magic skill where he can get Baby P. to laugh at any given moment. He’s the only one in the whole world who can do it. Even I can’t make him laugh.

He puts our needs ahead of his own almost all the time. Even when I can tell that he’s tired and needs a break, he’s still there and willing to help out.

My baby’s dad is a loving, committed, caring father. I can see the love on his face when he looks at our son, and even more touching is the love on our son’s face as he looks back. I know that my baby loves me, but right now he is Daddy’s boy, no doubt about it. I hope that their relationship will always be as close as it is now.

So, to my baby’s dad, and to all the other dads out there who are playing an important role in their children’s lives, thank you. Thank you to those of you behind the scenes, working hard and supporting us so that we can be the best parents that we can be. Thank you to the dads on the front lines, changing diapers and attending teacher conferences. Thanks to those who have to work far away for weeks at a time, and to those who stay at home all day with their kids. Thanks to the dads who teach our kids how to be loved, and our boys how to be men. We appreciate everything that you do. Now get out there, play some golf, and barbecue something. Or stay at home and sleep. You’ve earned it.