These Dads Are Doing Fatherhood Right
Being a good father isn't about how "manly" you are, but how far you go for your children. Below, we're celebrating Father's Day by honoring some dads who put aside their ego to do what's right by their kids.
Oh look, now we're getting all misty-eyed.
They Help Their Daughters Get Ready For School
Though some were outraged over the family photos posted by fathers Kaleb and Kordale, the rest of us swooned.
Not only is it heartwarming to see a same-sex couple and their children, it's especially sweet to see them do whatever needs to get done.
They Let Their Sons Play With Dolls
When filmmaker Mikki Willis' son wanted an Ariel doll for his birthday, he didn't just buy it for him—he shared how excited the little guy was over his present.
"I let my boys choose their life," said Willis. "Choose your life, choose your sexuality and choose your expression. You have my promise forever to love you and accept you no matter what you choose."
They Encourage Their Children's Dreams
When commenters trolled this standup dad, he declared "if my kid wanted a Barbie doll I would get it for him. If that's what he wants, then that is what he wants."
That's how you do fatherhood, folks.
They Don't Police Their Children's Costumes
Society usually loosens up around Halloween, but some people still can't wrap their head around a boy wearing a dress.
But one dad has been more than happy to help his 9-year-old son, Liam, dress up as 101 Dalmatians' Cruella de Vil, Cleopatra, the Black Swan and even Medusa.
"We deal with this type of small-minded person on a daily basis," Will said of haters. "Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I will always support and courage my kids creativity happily and without apology."
They Put Their Kids Comfort Before Their Own
So, this is actually a story about an uncle and his niece, but father figures are just as important, so we felt it necessary to include. (Plus, it's just so cute.)
Jessy Nagy took his niece to a screening of Cinderella last spring. Though she wanted to dress up in her princess costume, she was too nervous to do it alone. So, Jessy decided to join her by donning a royal gown of his own.
"She's like my mini-me," Nagy told ABC. "I really wanted to spend time with her, so I said 'Let's go have a princess day.'"
They Don't Force Their Concept Of Masculinity On Their Children
Virginia dad Paul Henson also helped his son with his Halloween costume, which just happened to be
"Halloween is about children pretending to be their favorite characters," Henson said. "Just so happens, this week his is a princess."
They Teach Their Children To Be Tolerant
Gay dads make great dads, too—and can help instill a sense of acceptance in their children.
Terence, a young boy from the Netherlands, proved that when he went on a Dutch reality show and performed a song inspired by his two fathers.
They Have Fun With Their Daughters
Part of being a dad is playing with your kids, in whatever form that takes. Good dads only care about making their little girls happy—and are willing to suffer a little discomfort to make that happen.
They Let Their Daughters Be Their Stylists
There comes a time in every girl's life, where she must learn the ways of makeup and accessories. The best way to develop your talent, is to practice on someone else first, right?
They always try their best
Sometimes dads don't get things right, but it's the sentiment that counts!
The viral video of a dad doing his daughter's stubborn hair is a perfect example of a great dad teaching his daughter there's no such thing as "mom's work" or "dad's work." And it makes us howl EVERY. TIME.
They put their kids first
Becoming a teenage father may seem like uncharted territory to most gay men, but it was a reality for 20-year-old Brian Mariano, who had a child with his high school girlfriend at 17 even though he knew he was gay.
Mariano described co-parenting with his baby's mother in an interview and said, "it feels good to have him, to have someone I get to love unconditionally and loves me unconditionally and also be who I am."
They know what true acceptance is
A dad who wanted to let his closeted gay son know he was fully accepting of his son's sexuality turned to Reddit for advice in 2014.
The man wrote: "He has seemed slightly down recently, as in, he isn’t as cheerful as he once was, and I desperately want to tell him that I love him regardless of which sexuality he is."
In the end this awesome dad was able to kickstart his son's coming out and ultimately cheer him up.
h/t: Bored Panda
