A Father’s Day tribute to the man our son wants to be just like
I knew this day would come.
The day when my sweet little boy, who never wanted to leave his mama’s side, would suddenly jump ship and become the shadow of my husband instead.
The day when I would become the odd one out, as father and son would play games and run, have wrestling matches and laugh at “gas” jokes. The day when I would be ganged up on in tickle battles and outnumbered in our family food and music debates. The day when my son would want to be just like his Daddy and copy everything he does. The day when he would go from being Mommy’s little baby boy to Daddy’s little apprentice.
Well, that day is here!
To be fair, the process started a while ago so I have had some time to adjust to the new circumstances I find myself in. And as much as I sometimes joke that it is such a betrayal, I find myself gushing at how cute the two of them are and how nice to see my husband as the headlining star in my son’s eyes.
Because, for most of the early years, it is all about the mom. After all, we carry the little one from conception, and there is rarely a moment in that first year that mom and baby are apart. The connection is so strong, and while the world is much more aware that the transition into motherhood can be difficult, I find we sometimes forget that dads are often having a tough time learning their role and place in this new dynamic, as well.
My husband is a wonderful father. From day one, he’s been working tirelessly to make sure that my son and I have everything we need and I was pleasantly surprised by how hands-on he has wanted to be in every aspect of our child’s life—from feeding, to bedtime, to diapers (And, who wants to do diapers?). He is constantly surprising me by just how much of a natural he is with our little guy—from soothing tears, to encouraging independence, to fostering skill development and never letting it bother him when he’s met with “I want Mommy!” exclamations when all he is doing is trying to help.
Personally, I know that hearing the opposite of those words would have downright killed me in those early years. He has taken it like a champ.
These days, his work has paid off. The effort he has put in, to be the best father he can be, has resulted in our child knowing that he has a dad who will be there for him no matter what. A dad who will enthusiastically play the rough and tumble games while still holding those necessary boundaries in place to keep him safe. My son also knows that he has a dad who is going to both support him and push him to try new things and challenge himself.
Their bond is solid. And, while the phrase “I want Mom” still comes out, every now and then (more so when he’s sick, hurt or grumpy), doing things with his dad is still our son’s favourite pastime.
Whether it is taking on the adventure of learning to rollerblade alongside one another, playing video games or racing each other up the hill at Shipyards Park, these two are always having the absolute best time.
This past Halloween, I watched my husband glow with immense pride as our boy was all decked out as a Ghostbuster. He has been waiting patiently to share his love of the Ghostbuster saga with our little guy, collecting toys for him since before he was born, eager for the day when he’d be able to share a connection with his son over something that has meant a lot to him since his own childhood. Knowing this and seeing them play together (hunting ghosts and chasing after Slimer) has been a delight. My husband only has to get the Ghostbuster cartoons popular with our son and his mission will be complete.
I am excited for this new era of the Father and Son Dynamic Duo. And, with Father’s Day approaching, I look forward to being able to celebrate the relationship the two of them share. I know I married a good man—and as much as I sometimes have to shake my head at their crazy antics, I am grateful to see that my little boy has an intelligent, goofy, kind and dedicated father and role model for him to look up to and emulate.
