Father’s day

To all the dads out there, whatever age or stage. I know that this is a day that for many will be tinged (or even totally covered) with sadness and difficulty. But I just wanted to encourage you all, at whatever age and stage you are at to be the Dad you can be now. Whether your children are small, or like proper adults. Whether yous ee them every day, or once a month, and even if you wish you’d be able to see them but can’t because of loss – be the dad you can be now. Whatever happened yesterday, last week, last month, last year, is in the past. We can do today. You are a Dad. The only dad of your children, and they need you to be their dad. Be the best dad you can be. For some of us that might be putting down our phone/laptop/newspaper and spending time with them. For some it might be picking up the phone/laptop and messaging them and encouraging them. For some it might even be simply remembering them.

The thing I have had to keep telling myself in recent years, since separating from my children’s mum, is that I have failings, I have got things wrong, but my kids still need their dad. They still need to know that I am there. That I am theirs. That I have their back. And today I have that little bit of joy when they both came, without being asked for a cuddle, yes even my almost 13 year old boy. But i know that there are days, and will be days that that wont happen. But that doesn’t stop me from being their dad.

So keep going fellow dads. It’s hard in lots of different ways. And if you see another dad today, then drop them a thumbs up, show them some love.