Last updated on November 26, 2023
Many of my friends are or have been single fathers raising children. Two are autism bloggers and another is Deaf.
So, you can imagine my amusement when a woman expressed her surprise that I am flying solo for 12 days because Susan traveled to California for a family emergency.
Men don’t deserve special praise for managing basic parenting. It’s not some amazing feat to meet the needs of children. We need to stop assuming women are in some way “better” parents, while men should be praised for any efforts they make.
Regardless of gender, sexual orientation, or any other attributes, adults should be able to clean a house, do laundry, cook meals, run errands, handle medical emergencies, and perform other routine tasks.
The fact people are surprised that I can manage a household alone is what should be shocking and depressing. Stop celebrating when men do the bare minimum as parents and partners.
Haven’t we come a long way since Mr. Mom was a surprising movie plot?
I’m sick of sitcom dads, the bumbling fools that resemble absolutely no father I know.
If Susan couldn’t trust me for two weeks, she should find a better life partner. That’s what marriage is supposed to be: a partnership.
Yes, it takes more time when one parent does everything. When Susan’s away, I do set aside other projects, including The Autistic Me. That is what a parent does.
I know we’ve done a good job as parents because I had a medical emergency while Susan is away. The girls had to join me in the emergency room, and they were outstanding.
While I was hooked up to an IV, sedated and receiving fluids, the oldest was sending text messages to Mommy to keep her updated. She even snapped a photo and sent it to show all the tubes and wires to Mommy.
The girls sat by my side, coloring and sending updates to Mom, for nearly five hours. I couldn’t be more proud of the girls.
Yes, I bought them dinner late that night. They deserved a treat.
We are a family. We’re a team, working together, and the girls know that.
Let’s teach our children to expect equality among family members.