‘Ohhh so cute! Good for you for giving mom a break.’ When my husband goes grocery shopping with one of the kids, he’s a star.’: Mom urges ‘dads don’t babysit, they parent’

“When my husband goes grocery shopping with one of the kids, he’s a star.

Seriously, he could be on a stage with roses thrown at him because he’s looking after them alone.

He comes home laughing (but flexing) telling me of the comments.

‘Ohhh, well done.’
‘Ohhh so cute, good on you for doing that.’
‘Isn’t mom lucky getting a break.’

Funnily enough, my grocery experiences aren’t like that. Usually, I get a wide berth and side-eyes as I say on repeat,

‘Almost done.’
‘Don’t touch that.’
‘You can eat that soon.’
Definitely no adoring fans over here.

Once Drew and I were out walking with the kids. He had our daughter Holly in his arms while pushing an empty cart and some older man walked past and laughed, ‘Oh, you poor bastard.’ Meanwhile, I was carrying two bags with the other flailing child…

Hey man, I’m a poor bastard too.
And news flash buddy…
Dads don’t babysit, they parent.

These comments just render fathers as useless, and they’re not? They are more than capable of looking after their OWN children. Society still seems to have that lingering undercurrent that Dads are amazing simply for sharing parenting duties.

I’ll admit there’s nothing sexier than a good Dad, but I won’t be dishing out accolades for diaper changes.

I’m not ‘lucky.’
I’m grateful.
Very grateful for him.

Instead of ‘here’s to the dads who babywear, change diapers, get up in the night, cook meals or who simply show up…’

Here’s to the Dads who say, ‘I love you, I love us,’ by doing all these things.

It’s not JUST showing up as a father, it’s showing up as a husband or partner too.”

This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Jessica Urlichs. You can follow her journey on Facebook and Instagram. Submit your own story here, and be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories.

Read more from Jessica:

‘Yes, you are my second child, but my love for you is second to none. You’ve made me the mama I am proud to be.’: Mom shares touching ode to baby #2, ‘I’d move mountains for you in seconds’

‘You’ll question if you’re doing anything right. Panic, second guess. You’ll rise in the dead of night, time after time, and wonder if you’re enough.’: Mom shares touching letter to mothers, ‘It isn’t easy, but it is so, so worth it’

‘Dear mom, there is so much I didn’t understand back then, but now I do.’: Woman pens sweet letter to mother after giving birth

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