There are Single Dads out there too

[bro-with-an-ugly-mo]

Hi..
From the period of April 1996 till Oct 2000,,,, I was a single father trying to raise 3 sons alone. Contary to popular belief, there are such family stuctures that are headed by the single dad.

please note: there are now "to be politcaly correct" only :yelclap: Single Parents.. even the ABS acknowledge this ( recent stats suggest 23% and ever increasing ) of single parent households are ran by the father.. And NOT just widowers either!!!

So please 'girls' try to think and act uni-sexually.... In 1996 I was a freak of nature, in 2006 those dads like I was are becoming the norm.

Some mothers do walk out, some fathers do walk out.... BUT under NO case do ALL fathers walk out!

cheers
cliff ( happily remarried with an additional 4 step children )

Mike Brady wanna-bee????

[poshBecks]

Hi welcome to bubhub!! Good on you I say!!!

I just want to say that your user name is tops!! :thumbsup:

[MZmama]

Hi Cliff,

I just wanted to say CONGRATULATIONS...

When i was 8 (i am now 23), my parents split and my dad wanted to keep both me and my younger sister as my mum wanted to have no dependencies and we got the house etc...

He raised us absolutely perfectly, quit his job of 25 years and became a stay at home dad, times were tough but we got there in the end and i wouldnt of wanted it any other way.

I must say back then people used to think it was weird, and some of my friends mothers wouldnt let them come over as there was a 'single dad' in the house... but overall he was the best dad anyone could ever ask for!

So well done!!

[JenNT]

One more and you'll be Mike Brady! Congratulations on gaining another family! Yes you are correct, it is single parents and yes not all fathers desert their kids:thumbsup: to be honest I know of more mums that have walked than dads.Each to their own.
Welcome to Bubhub,:) J.

[my babyemmy]

hello & welcome:hugs:

[saara]

Welcome to bubhub.......congrats on raising your children by yourself for those four and a half years. It is not an easy job.

[03MMT]

Hi and welcome....my ex dh mother walked out on her three boys to chase a guy in canada. The boys were 2, 4 and 6 and they have all grown up fine and respect their dad more than their mum. Just want to let you know that my ex lives under the same roof as me as he can not think of living without his kids. I agree so this is why this is happening. It's not always easy for the male to walk.... and congrats on the new relationship you have. It scares me silly to think some else will be important in my life and my boys one day. I have only been separate a month....:o

[kimmy]

Hiya Cliff & welcome to bubhub :D
good on you is all i have to say :yelclap: oh & i like your user name to lol :D

[Sarie]

Congrats Cliff, I've never been in your position but I know what you are trying to say. My Aunt walked out on my uncle many years ago and left him with three young children. My cousins spent a lot of time at our house while he went to work.
I'm glad that you have found another wonderful woman and wow, 7 kids all together! You guys need a medal!
Best Wishes
Sarie

[MamaFour]

Oh. my. lord.
If you are who I think you are, then this is freaky as I was only thinking of one of your sons last week.

Hi Cliff.

You know me, and I know you. Take a look at my name, but think between the lines. You'd have known me previously as something else.
Still bowling? (There's a big clue).

Let me tell you that in my younger years I certainly admired you for raising your 3 boys alone. I can officially say that I admire you even further; having now been a single parent myself.

You did a fantastic job with your boys, from what I knew of them anyway :thumbsup:

If I'm correct as to who you are, it's a small small world.

[loopi1]

Hey Cliff,

My mum walked out on my bro and I but we were old enough to look after ourselves so dad never really had to do the "single parent thing", I was 15 and my bro was 18 so it was easy for my dad, but I still admire him for taking us on by himself as we both still lived at home with him.

I suppose people do generalise the "single mother" persona because tho the women may walk out she usually gets the children but with most of us on here the father of our kids have done the walking so to hear from the other side of the fence is a bit of a relief. The feelings you may have had towards your kids mother and how bad you felt for you kids is the same as what we feel, whether the dad or mum raising the child it's hard to see our kids miss out on that other parent.

Well done for raising your kids and congrats on finding love again and all the best for your extended family.:smiliedance:

[mick199]

hi there i dont know if this is where i need to be but i had my 2 suns come live with me 5 months ago there 7 and 3 and befor that i was living where i didnt need to cook and my room was just big enough for a bed i am finding it hard to ajust to the full time dad thing don't get me wrong i love being there for the boys but having to lurne to cook clean a 3 b room house look after 2 boys full time and get every thing dune im finding hard i dont seen to have enough time every day to get all dune and seen to be trying to cath up every day i never seem to get enough sleep and never having a min to my self and having 2 boys follow me every were i go in the house anyone out there with some advice would be so good

[SoloDad]

Hi..
From the period of April 1996 till Oct 2000,,,, I was a single father trying to raise 3 sons alone. Contary to popular belief, there are such family stuctures that are headed by the single dad.

please note: there are now "to be politcaly correct" only :yelclap: Single Parents.. even the ABS acknowledge this ( recent stats suggest 23% and ever increasing ) of single parent households are ran by the father.. And NOT just widowers either!!!

So please 'girls' try to think and act uni-sexually.... In 1996 I was a freak of nature, in 2006 those dads like I was are becoming the norm.

Some mothers do walk out, some fathers do walk out.... BUT under NO case do ALL fathers walk out!

cheers
cliff ( happily remarried with an additional 4 step children )

Mike Brady wanna-bee????

Cliff, welcome to Bubhub. Well done on the single fatherdom for all that time.

I agree with all that you wrote. Look forward to chatting with you on this site.

I am a single daddy to a gorgeous little 2 and a half year old girl. I share parenting with her mother and like you i have often found that people still stare and look at us as though we are freaks or weird.

The other day i was in a Hungry Jacks store and the baby change room had a symbol of a female and a child. Well didn't i have a chat to the manager of that store. They have since changed the sign.

I still find a large level of discrimination against single fathers. But i am hopeful that will change in time.

Once again, welcome to Bubhub, i am confident you will enjoy your time here.

Col

[MummyDaddy]

Hey Clif and welcome ...

Also loving seeing more guys around the threads AJ, SoloDad, Mick now You - WELCOME GUYS !

PS. For those that read my post prior to me editing it - I just reread it and realised I misread one of the words - I am a freak.

PSS. Just added in Mick as I am a dodohead and missed him in welcoming the Dads ... it's nice to have some testoerone in da house!

[MamaKoala]

Hi Cliff and Mick,

I'd like to say congratulations. I also know single father's who put everything into their kids. My own children's father is there for them all the time and will drop everything if they need him. We were sharing care with him having them 3 days a week and I would have them 4 but now that we both work full time and I can get to the daycare before it closes they are back to full time with me with him taking them whenever he can.
I love that even though things didn't work out between us that he would take them in a heartbeat if anything were to happen to me.
Congratulations for being great roll models of who men and father's are.

Mick - Have a browse around the single parent area and you will see that a lot of parents struggle with the adjustment also and you are not alone. Being a sole parent is hard but you will pick it up and find your routine (routine is probably the key to managing a household).

Look forward to seeing your input around the forum :wave:

[MummyDaddy]

Hi Mick, sorry i missed your post. Wecome to the threads as well ... it sounds like you are going through what us mums go through in the first year which is adjusting, it's bloody hard but it does get easier as you figure out what works best and how to get things done. Good luck and good on you
:)

[Mum2Bug]

Hey Mick, and welcome to the single parent section.

(Wont welcome cliff as his part of the resurrected (by mick) thread is 3 years old.

[Xanthic]

Hi Mike and Cliff,

Welcome to Bubhub.

[mick199]

thanks im glad it will get better but trying to adjust to everything is overwelming at times as even when myself and there mum were together i worked 2 jobs and did'nt see the boys much or see what went in to keeping everything working not being there 16 hours a day and when i was there i was trying to sleep to get ready for the next dayand with the boys only coming to live with me 6 months ago there stilll trying to see what they can get away with i now have a much grater respect to perants morer so those doing it alone. as much as i have much suppurt from many people at my church it is not so helpfull as it is the non stop cleaning washing cooking that many just can't help withand because both boys needed to go in to foster care till i could get everything together and finish up where i was every time i try to find support out ther dcs stop it all found the aunts & unculs program out there and then was told both boys can't do it they need to be with me or back in care. well time to start getting ready for today maby ill cath up on yesterday today thanks agane mick