“You are Such a Good Dad”

Don't misunderstand me, David Morrissey is a FANTASTIC father to our sons! He wakes up before dawn to go to work and puts in a lot of effort. After work, he comes home, plays with the boys, helps with dinner, and puts one of them to bed while I handle the other. It would be simple for him to just fall asleep afterward, but he stays up so we can spend time together.

However, I do the cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, plan fun activities, schedule doctor appointments, take the boys to said appointments, and all the other overwhelming things that comes with being a mom, wife, and an adult. THEN, we all go to the park, grocery store, or soccer game together, and David is pushing the stroller, wearing Emmett, or playing with Benjamin. Someone walks up to David and says “you are such a good dad”. Cue the side eye and sighs.

Again, yes David is a wonderful father and partner, but why is it that when dads are seen doing the things that we mothers do every waking moment, are praised and acknowledged as “such a good dad”. I do this shit everyday! Where is my “you are such a good mom”?????

I’m not antisocial, I’m anti-society. Society sends this message out to moms that you have to hold everything together. You have to cook the meals, fold the laundry, keep the kids entertained, and do it with a big smile. Don’t get me wrong, I love my children and staying home with them, but my god! I couldn’t imagine having two children AND a full time job!

In the end, these are my own standards, that are way too high, that i have set for myself. I need to make sure that I don’t project my frustrations onto my children becuase they are children and my feelings of inadequacy are not their fault. I can’t project these things onto David, because he is a great dad just like I am a great mom.

Input from David

I have seen this first hand many times. I will be out on my own with one or both of our boys and almost every time, there will be an individual who will approach and say something along the lines of “its so nice to see a father with his children”, or “what a great dad you are to go out with your boys and do the shopping.” Yes, it does feel good to be recognized doing anything at all these days, but there are way to many times to count that my wife has done the exact same thing, every single day, and nobody will say a word. There are even times that I take for granted the fact that she does this all the time and I don’t give enough recognition to her for it. I’m so proud of my wife for the woman she is, and also for the women you all are for the tasks and duty’s society has placed on working women with children these days. “You all are, such good moms”