This is a little letter to say “thank you”. It’s not something I say often and I wanted it written down for you to refer to in the future. For those times I am cross. Or tired. For those times I shout when you get in late from work and everyone is fighting around me. Or the mornings when I have to get up with the children, despite you having had lie ins for the past seven weeks. Whilst these are the things that can annoy me, drive me mad and whisper swear “For f*cks sake”, this is a letter about the other 90% of the things you do. That sometimes can go unnoticed.
Thank you for being an amazing Dad. It sometimes feel unfair that I am more often than not the bad cop but I’m so pleased that you’re around to be the good one. The 6ft2 gentle giant that can throw my children high in the air and carry them on your shoulders (whilst I squeal “DON’T HURT THEM“). The one that will always get in the swimming pool and go flying down the slides when Mummy doesn’t fancy getting her hair wet. You push them higher than I ever would on a swing and I’ve seen you knee deep in more ball pools than I would like to count.
You treat our children with kindness and show them what it really means to be a man. That sure you can be strong and lift the heavy suitcases Mummy moans about but you can also play with Barbie’s and have your giant toe nails painted bright pink. You never raise your voice to me, even though sometimes in the past eight years I have acted like an exhausted, raging, psychopath. You attend school shows when you can and have done bathtime each evening with a smile on your face and water splashed down your shirt and tie.
Mums are allowed to moan about parenting. It’s a right of passage for us. We get together with our friends, eat cake and chat about how knackered we are. I’m not so sure that Dads do that. Yes you did have selective hearing on night feeds and can’t quite hear the kids when they are up at 5:30am on a Saturday morning. But I’ve never once heard you go “THESE KIDS ARE DRIVING ME INSANE” or raise your eyes when you see me in my dressing gown at 4pm on a Tuesday evening.
You are pretty bloody fantastic and I want you to know that. To the kids you will always be the laughter to me shouting, the high swing ride to my gentle safe stroll. You’ve taught my son what it means to be a good Father and my daughter just what she should expect from future partners. You’re amazing…and next time I send you an angry emoticon at 7am saying “It’s time to get up you ar*ehole” I want you to remember this letter and that I appreciate you so very very much.
Your loving (and more often than not quite shouty) wife
Em xxx
