I received this from a friend via email and found it very inspirational. <P>Honoring Single Fathers<P> Real Fathers...<P>Real Fathers don't eat quiche mostly because they don't have time to make it.<P>Real Fathers know that their kitchen tensils are probably in the sandbox.<P>Real Fathers often have sticky floors, dirty ovens, undone laundry, dishes in the sink, and happy kids.<P>Real Fathers know that dried playdough doesn't come out of shag carpets.<P>Real Fathers put the wheel back on the toy dump truck before they've had their morning coffee.<P>Real Fathers don't want to know what the vaccuum just sucked up.<P>Real Fathers read the same bedtime story...a thousand times in a row.<P>Real Fathers go to Mother/Child functions at school and never look embarrassed.<P>Real Fathers sometimes ask with exasperation, "why me?" and get their answer when a little voice says, "because you're the one who stayed to take care of me."<P>Real Fathers cry when their little children say, "I love you".<P>Real Fathers know that a child's growth is not measured by height or years or grade...It is marked by the progression of "Dada" to "Daddy" to "Dad"...<P>

Not lost... with my noticing this gem... <P>Yes... it's on the <A HREF="http://www.marriagebuilders.com/forum/Forum29/HTML/000013.html" TARGET=_blank>Notable Posts/Threads</A> post!

Thank you for posting this. My son just won temporary full custody of his children last week, and I'm printing this out for him!

NewMan,<P>Thank you for lifting my spirits with this. It puts into words the reasons that I have had so much of a problem explaining to people who want to know why or how I'm doing this. My wife has put me through the worst kind of hell I can imagine baring lately,( although I know it isn't nearly what some of you are going through) and it is my children that have kept me from running far away from the pain.<P>I see my W with the children, and the unbelieveable stress that her being here is causing, and I know I have to indure it for them. To be the stable parent in thier lives. Thank you again for this.<P>Brent

To all the single dads out there,<P>Prayers and hugs to you all for the strength and courage you show and the total dedication you have given to your children.<BR>It is hard enough to deal with the betrayal. Being a single dad won't be easy (coming from a single mom), but remember that you are the winner in the situation and your kids, may not know it at the moment, but when they are older, they will know which parent was truly their protector and provider. It may not even happen until they have children of their own, but the day will come when they come to you (and me I hope) and say Thank you for always being there for me.<P>Dana<BR>