Father's Day Bitter Truth

Father’s Day is a challenge if he doesn’t live at home due to separation or divorce. It can also resurrect toxic memories for the person left with the kids, because she must explain why dad is not there. Cases are fewer, where the mother leaves, and kids are raised by the father.

Kids cannot avoid Father’s Day because of teachers, who buy into everything that is happening on the internet. They give kids little assignments for celebrations like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Earth Day and so on. They mean well, but Father’s Day is painful for kids with remote fathers.

Kids never know why dad left, unless he used to beat mom or lives with another ‘auntie.’ Kids might take divorce better if parents tell them the truth about life, but that is easier said than done.

Parents hide the truth because it might scar them for life. Social workers have cases where kids are disturbed mentally because mothers call men despicable names. ‘Tell that …….. who is your dad!’

Some anger doesn’t go away. That is why certain women vent it out on the kids. Kids also see it online, where women use social media to wrongly accuse men of spousal abuse. They know men cannot win that war. 

Kids must know the truth why dad doesn’t live with them, but who will tell them and how? It’s definitely not women, who are still bitter from being left for a younger woman, despite sacrifices they made to get pregnant.

There are parents who are doing a great job with co-parenting, but depending on their age, kids must know that like their old toys and snakes that shed their skins, parents lose interest in each other.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.