Father’s Perspectives and Being Truly Honest — Things Unsaid
Many Articles Are Directed Toward The Moms
After my son was born with Down Syndrome I looked everywhere for resources, information, and other parents to talk to. The majority of materials I found were aimed at women and the emotional struggles they faced.
There were limited resources for men. The ones I found felt like a lot of fluff and avoided serious topics. When I met other fathers at meetings they were often quiet, not willing to open up, or were removed. I’ve spent several years talking with other fathers and opening up about some of the struggles we face.
These conversations are awkward at first, there’s some risk involved in sharing. The goal is to find common ground with other dads that are facing similar challenges with their children. You can confide in them because you know they get it. When you’re speaking with another father who has a child with special needs you know they are being sincere. Not pandering you or showing unsolicited pity.
Men, in general, have a more challenging way of messing with their buddies. Whether it’s giving them a hard time about their team or talking shit about their new minivan. So it’s not a natural transition to now only talk about our feelings, with respect, without some light humor or ribbing…
