The indignant, modern woman in me is frowning at the title of this post because in our modern times shouldn’t ALL men automatically be sharing the childcare responsibilities equally? Why does the phrase ‘hands-on dad’ even exist as shouldn’t all fathers now be getting stuck in with the day-to-day grit and grime of raising young children?
However, I’m a realist and I know that a world like that is still a little aspirational. I know of many couples in fact where the man still doesn’t get up for night-feeding (and even sleeps in a separate room in some cases), avoids bath time and dirty nappies and leans towards a role of “fun parent” only.
This makes me even more grateful for my own lovely husband who is the epitome of “hands-on” and who shares the care of our son completely 50/50 (or more sometimes). So here’s a thank you to him, and the countless other dads who readily get involved in the less-than-desirable sides of parenting.
- Thank you for sharing the night wakings
- Thank you for taking the children off our hands when you arrive home from work and we’re at the end of our ropes
- Thank you for dealing with more than your share of dirty nappies
- Thank you for discussing discipline techniques and carrying them out with us
- Thank you for taking the kids downstairs at the crack of dawn and letting us have a rare lie-in
- Thank you for the regular girls-nights-out (and for never calling it babysitting when it’s your own child!)
- Thank you for not disappearing to the pub every night
- Thank you for not spending several hours a day playing video games
- Thank you for working out a way for us to go back to work
- Thank you for working out a way for us to stay at home with our kids
- Thank you for distracting the toddler from a tantrum
- Thank you for cleaning up the sick/wee/poo/mashed up Weetabix
- Thank you for pushing the buggy up that hill
- Thank you for singing that nursery rhyme one more time when we’re losing our minds with boredom
- Thank you for reading that Jo Frost Toddler SOS book we gave you
- Thank you for telling us you appreciate how hard being a parent is
- Thank you for admitting you’re struggling too
- Thank you for loving us enough to realise that parenting is the ultimate in teamwork
Thank you for this post. And thanks to all the fathers who are redefining their roles as parents and husbands in an ever-changing society!
I love this. Yes my husband is also referred to as a hands on dad. To me he’s just an incredible husband and father and is doing exactly what he knows and thinks a dad does. Your list is spot on! Thank you dads.
#TheList
Hooray for all the Daddy’s out there who really are part of the team. My Daddy was definitely one and Hubby is doing a grand job too.
Well said. Men are far from perfect, but having someone like your man to help you is priceless.
#justanotherlinky
the frenchie mummy recently posted…Percy & Reed Perfectly Perfecting Wonder Overnight Recovery – Review
my first instinct was to be annoyed by your title. Its as much a father’s job to be hands on as it is a mothers. After reading, however, this was very nice and I’m sure your husband like knowing hes’s appreciated. I still have a hard time celebrating males every time they do what they should be doing anyway, but I understand why that happens #justanotherlinky
I completely agree, that’s why I wrote what I did at the beginning 🙂 Thanks for reading 🙂
I also agree, ‘hands on’ shouldn’t even exist but like you I recognise there are dad’s (and mums) who take a back seat. I’ve got my lovely husband who is just as you describe- an absolute gem and a fantastic daddy. It’s great to show appreciation #marvmondays
blabbermama recently posted…No.1 Parenting fear: When the Baby pulls a HULK strop
Good point, there are some backseat mums too I’m sure. Thanks for reading and commenting x
Such a lovely post! My OH is also the same considering he works alot of hours. It is hard to have that equality when there’s normally always one parent working and one at home. Thanks for linking up to #MarvMondays. Kaye xo
Kaye recently posted…Marvellous Mondays #34 – A new #MM baby!
Absolutely, when his hours are long it’s very difficult. I’m so grateful that my hubs shares the load when he’s home X Thanks for reading x
Ah this is a great post 🙂 I am lucky to have a really good husband, who will happily do all of the above. Well I say all, I mean everything apart from the night waking, he claims to sleep through it. How is beyond me ha ha! Loved reading this, what a nice thank you xxx #AnythingGoes
Thankyou for sharing this on #anythinggoes I feel very fortunate that I can relate to many of the points you raise.
Helena recently posted…Review: Toddler Taste Testing The Super Yummies
I’m glad 🙂 Thanks for reading x
Oh I love this! My boyfriend isn’t my children’s Dad but he does the work of one for definite and has since they were both small. So lovely to see a list appreciating everything a Dad does rather than a Facebook post about what they don’t 😉
Thanks for linking up to #PicknMix
Stevie x
A Cornish Mum recently posted…Review + Competition – 80 Piece Bic Colouring Set
This is lovely. I am very lucky that Mr C does half of everything and is very hands on as a daddy. Thanks got linking up to #justanotherlinky xx
Something Crunchy Mummy recently posted…Me & Mine – June 2016
Thanks and I’m glad you have your own awesome mister xxx
As a self-professed hands on dad I LOVE this post! Thanks for sharing.
As most other “dads” might consider, there’s no other way to be a dad.
Nick @ NotesFromADad recently posted…5 tips for surviving a flight with your toddlers
Glad you liked it!
Absolutely agree that it should be a team effort and it certainly is at our house – I think we would have both lost the plot by now if it weren’t for the other one being there to share the highs and lows!! Lovely post. #MarvMondays
James Hopes recently posted…Two Year Assessment
Exactly! Thanks for reading 🙂