My Dad Has My Back
Across cultures and generations, fathers have long been seen as protectors, providers and disciplinarians. In North America, that role has evolved — we’re now expected to cook meals, clean bathrooms, show emotional intelligence and serve as moral compasses. It’s a lot.
It’s easy to get lost in the swirl of modern fatherhood — juggling sleep, work, relationships, identity and community expectations. We’re often stretched thin trying to be everything to everyone. But amid the chaos, we can’t forget one of the most primal and underrated roles we hold: standing up for our kids.
Protecting them doesn’t mean wrapping them in bubble wrap or shadowing their every move. It means recognizing that growing up is hard. They’ll feel nervous, hurt, overlooked or mistreated — often when we’re not around. When that happens, our job is to be the safe landing. To listen, validate and offer love without conditions. But that’s only part of it.
Sometimes, protecting your child means stepping in. Saying the hard thing. Making the uncomfortable call. Letting them see that even when it’s inconvenient or unpopular, Dad speaks up. Maybe it’s a teacher brushing off their concerns. A coach showing blatant favouritism. A kid down the street pushing them off their bike and laughing while they bleed. Or your child coming home from a playdate upset because their best friend bossed them around. In those moments, you have a choice: stay quiet or stand up.
When you look a bully in the eye — whether they’re nine or ninety — and draw a line in the sand, your child sees something powerful: that they matter, and that their pain matters too.That kind of love doesn’t just comfort them in the moment, it teaches them to love themselves, find their own voice and someday, protect their own kids too.
Conflict is uncomfortable — but it’s part of life. You can be a victim or a victor, part of the problem or part of the solution. Choose the solution. Every time. Because deep down, every child deserves to know: my dad has my back.
Jeremy McCall is a married father of 3, a social services case manager, and known as “The Dadfather”, being the founder and Past President of Dad Club London.
