Fathers - I salute you...

My good friend E tweeted something yesterday, on Father's Day, that really got me thinking. It went like this, "Don't mean to moan, but can we stop with the single mother awareness for a sec. Today is about the MALE dad, let's keep it that way." I paused for a second and then thought, "Girlfriend really does have a point." Now before you jump on your PC high horse I think all single mothers out there do a truly wonderful job. But I also think that father's sometimes get a rough deal - there are thousands of single fathers out there, not to mention fathers that are co-parenting and they need to be celebrated much, much more. That's what Father's Day should be about. I grew up with a wonderful father. Papa Acheampong, aka Dr Samuel Acheampong, aka the Don of Everything is a daddy and a half. He is the definition of hard work. He was a dentist for 30-odd years in rural Scotland and even now you can't get on a plane (to Cyrpus, Florida or indeed Ghana) or go to a Marks and Sparks with him without bumping into a patient of his. Always there with a terrible joke or a savvy piece of advice, he's a best friend, a confidant, a role model and sometimes even a bank rolled into one. He is a gooey grandfather to Nai Nai, who joyfully pulls at his glasses whilst he walks her around his garden in sunny Elderslie and teaches her about the plants and trees. He gets up every Monday morning to listen to me on 1xtra in his PJs and then Googles the songs I reviewed to listen to them afterwards. I feel sorry for you if you don't know him because he's bloody marvelous.

I am also truly blessed that my hubs, Mr Adom is another amazing father. Although he didn't grow up with one, he's excelled in his role. I always hoped and knew he would be an amazing dad but he has exceeded all my expectations of how fabulous he is. When Nai Nai was tiny and we were still adjusting to parenthood, he was up in the night with her so I could get some much needed rest, then would get up to go to work the next day like it was nothing, come home and help with the chores etc and sometimes do it all again. My man's a soldier for real. Yes, he does fall asleep on the sofa every Sunday afternoon but hell he deserves it. (Don't ever tell him that.) Not only does he bring home the bacon every month, he rains love on Nai Nai like a tsunami and puts up with me to boot. I'm really f***ing lucky. * pauses to high five hubs, will explain to him why later*

Becoming a new mum, you forget sometimes that loads of new dads have been made at exactly the same time. It's truly amazing to see them grow and flourish and develop. One of my favourite mummy gf's J has a partner who seems to be the carbon copy of Mr Adom. Although we spend hours laughing at their love of a bargain, arguing with the Sky TV call centre operators and asking ourselves why they must watch Match of the Day, Match of the Day 2, Match of the Monday, Match of the Tuesday etc etc we both agree we couldn't do it without them. I feel so lucky to be surrounded by fantastic and inspirational grandfathers (Papa Acheampong, that's you), fathers (hats off to you Mr Adom) and even future fathers (my brother K will be the best, if most bonkers, father ever - I can't wait to see that day). I can't say that behind every great mother is a brilliant father, but in my case, there most certainly is. Big up the daddies because they deserve it - fathers I salute you.