A Tribute to ‘Daddy Later Than Sooner’ by Dina Ramon

Since Father’s Day is on Sunday it’s all about Daddy this week, especially the ‘later than sooner’ Dads out there because they’re also part of this older, first-time parenting experience and undoubtedly share many of the same emotions and concerns as ‘later moms’…like staying physically healthy and mentally sharp for a young child. But as we know they may not always express them because that’s what guys do. From what I’ve observed, ‘later dads’ bring many of the same benefits to parenting as ‘later moms’- maturity, patience, and life experience; by the time they become dads they are truly ready to be dads. Both my husband and I were in our early 40s when our daughter – our ‘little miracle’ – and our new adventure began. While I know that I do so much for my child, the truth is that no matter how much I do for her as a mom, what her dad gives to her as a teacher, a positive citizen, and an inspiration for appreciating and enjoying life is uniquely his and not something I can copy. Luckily our parenting attributes complement each other because when it comes to things where one of us might be lacking, which for me is cooking, the other fills in. So this is a ‘thank you’ to Daddy for all of the intellect, life lessons, guidance, and happy memories that he has given to our daughter, the miracle of our lives. Thanks for making her lunch every day or the night before when you know you won’t have time in the morning, and for taking her to school whenever you can so I might sleep in a little bit longer. Thank you for making sure she has exposure to religion since I am unfortunately not a dedicated churchgoer. Thanks for sharing your love of movies, science fiction, and history… but not the real scary stuff. Thanks for the backup on helping her with homework, especially in subjects where I fall short, i.e., math. And thanks for instilling our daughter with a love of and respect for the ocean. Of course I could go on but just know that you became a Dad when you were meant to. To our daughter you are the perfect Dad and you prove it every day.

Tags: Dad, fathers day, later Dads, later moms, later parents