A Letter to Single Dads
Dear Single Dads,
Happy Father’s Day! Thank you for everything you do for our children on the days or weeks you have the kids by yourself. We appreciate how landing into a single parent home after being so integrated with having a partner to help with all the things was daunting, scary and overwhelming at first, and maybe still is.
But you figured it out. You stepped up and learned how to create a schedule that keeps your household moving. You learned how to tackle the everyday monotonous tasks that need to get done that go left without praise. You honoured the process of learning how to maximize your energy so the kids have everything they need.
And there you are, getting those chores done, lunches packed, arranging play dates and showing up to the uncomfortable conversations with us ex-wives and partners, when we are trying to figure out what’s best for the kids. We see your effort and honour how much you do, have done and are still figuring out.
Even though the relationship took on a different ending than we thought would happen, we want you to know that you deserve to be happy. You can love again with a partner that supports the fulfillment of all of your desires. The depth at which you felt after the severing of our relationship, we know, opened your heart to a grief that was significantly profound and unexpected. And within this grief, you learned what it means to love, and when you’ve learned what it means to love, it will never be taken for granted again. Just know, we went through the same process too. You are not alone.
Even if we don’t verbally affirm as often as you need us to that we think you’re doing things right, just know that you are. In fact, most days we are pretty blown away with how you’ve adapted and shown up in the way you do.
You’re an incredible Father and you deserve everything you want. Follow your path to happiness and know we support whatever that means for you.
Lyndsay Campbell is a co-parenting mother of two boys, a Life Transformation Coach and
Reiki Master.
