Moms need dads. If you ever doubt it, just ask a mom who has had to raise kids without one. If your kids have a good dad, make it your aim to show appreciation regularly! Everybody needs a little pat on the back sometimes.
Here are some things that the dad of my kids did for me during their growing-up years:
He worked. A lot. That’s the only way we could afford for me to stay home full-time.
He said thank you and appreciated the work I did at home — which otherwise was pretty much thankless. It kept me going.
He spent time with the kids individually. He went to riding lessons with my daughter and bought her horses, which they cared for together. He went to martial arts with my sons, where all of them earned black belts over the course of years. It was no small feat to find time for each kid when there were four of them.
He spent time with us collectively. OK, I will admit that he really liked sleeping in his Big Man recliner — but he was awake a lot of the time! We had some great vacations, including trips to Disney World, RVing at the lake, a week in Playa del Carmen, and one memorable trip to Pike’s Peak.
He helped around the house. He’s not the handiest guy when it comes to DIY, but he always helped clear the table after meals and get stuff into the dishwasher. He modeled for our children that just because Mom takes the major responsibility for the home doesn’t mean that she’s a servant.
He openly showed he loved me. Still does. He nurtured our relationship and made sure that we didn’t let our marriage die on the vine.
What does your children’s dad bring to the family?
ABOUT ME
I am Dr. Kimberly Thompson, a clinical psychologist in private practice in Lubbock, Texas. I work with mothers and their children to help them heal, grow, and live their most vibrant lives. My particular expertise is pregnant and postpartum women, and moms of “littles.” My book, Perfect Mothers Get Depressed, is available on Amazon and from Praeclarus Press. If you live within driving distance of Lubbock, you can work with me face-to-face; if you live anywhere else in the state of Texas, you can work with me via online therapy. Send me a message if you need more information, or call my office at (806) 224-0200 if you’re ready to book an appointment.
