Answering the Tough Questions
Where is DAD? What’s his name? Is DAD good like me?
Continuing from our last article, you may remember my narrative about my son's father leaving when he was less than a month old. We haven't seen or heard from him since. The void he left has shaped our lives in ways I could never have imagined, and it has also led to some of the most challenging and poignant moments of my journey as a solo parent.
My son, now nearly six years old, has entered that phase of life where his mind is an infinite cosmos of questions. "What's my dad's name?" "Where is he?" "I miss him." "I want him." "I love him." "Am I strong like him?" "Am I good like him?" These are the echoes of a young heart trying to make sense of his world, and they are some of the toughest questions I've ever had to answer.
The delicate balancing act of responding to these inquiries can feel like walking on a tightrope. If I lean too far to one side, I risk painting an unrealistically rosy picture of a man who chose not to be there. If I lean too far to the other, I risk instilling resentment and bitterness. The key, I've discovered, lies in balancing the truth with compassion.
So when he asks about his dad, I keep my answers simple and objective. "Your dad's name is Jack," I tell him. "He lives somewhere far away now. It's okay…
