So, this is a little late getting posted, but I wanted to get it out there. Happy Father’s Day to all those full time single dads taking care of their own, to all the single dad’s who share the parenting responsibility with their children’s moms, to the not single dads, to the moms that take on the role of father and mother, and all the males out there who are a role model in one way or another to the children in their lives.
Father’s Day isn’t celebrated in the “normal” sense around here. We aren’t a traditional family. Jonathan’s father isn’t involved in his life. My father passed away almost 6 years ago, and prior to that, wasn’t involved on our lives either. My grandfather passed away when my mom was a teen, so he couldn’t be involved in any of our lives as much as I know he would have been had he lived to do so.
This isn’t to say that Jonathan doesn’t have males involved in his life. He has a lot of males in his life for role models, but there are two that are the biggest influence on him, and probably the most important. Those are his Uncle Larry and his Uncle Jim. Larry actually lives with us. And will for at least another six months. Jonathan sees him every day. Uncle Jim lives in the Twin Cities and until we moved Jonathan would see him at least once a week. Now he probably sees him at least once a month. These are the people we celebrate on Father’s Day.
Larry and Jim are the ones that bring him fishing, take him on snowmobile rides, let him “help” fix the cars. They are the ones that will teach him how to shoot a bow and arrow and eventually a gun, the ones that will bring him hunting when it is time, the ones that actually set the age limit for learning and doing those things. They are the closest thing to a dad that he’s ever had. They didn’t have to do any of the things they have done, nor do they have to do any of the things they will do. They do it voluntarily because they love him. They are the people that we need to celebrate on Father’s Day. Are there people out there you should be celebrating and have over looked?