Father’s Day without the kids
Spending Father’s Day without the kids can be tough. Read on for alternative ways to spend Father’s Day and still make the day special.
Read moreWin and Steve are both passionate skateboarders, but they’re even more passionate about being dads. Reflecting on their lives growing up as young fathers, Win and Steve understand the pressures of being a young and single father and want to raise awareness about the mental health issues of single dads.
We spoke with Win of 2 DADS about what it was like to become a father at 17 years old, and the wisdom he’s learnt along the way.
Win and Steve are both passionate skateboarders, but they’re even more passionate about being dads. Both Win and Steve had kids at a very young age (Win was 17 when Cameron was born, and Steve was 21 when Zach was born). Some 15-odd years later, Win and Steve understand the pressures of being a young and single father and have joined forces to create “2 DADS”, an organisation aiming to raise awareness about the mental health issues of single dads.
“Both Steve and I separated from our children’s mothers early on in parenthood and were faced with some very trying and low times.” – Win
Having struggled with growing up themselves as all teenagers do, plus becoming a young parent, Win and Steve know first-hand the challenges young, single dads face. They’re both proud fathers, and pleased to have come out the other side stronger and wiser. Although they acknowledge that their struggles took them on a difficult and sometimes dark journey, they both know they have built amazing relationships with their sons.
Ultimately, for Win, the coolest thing about being a parent is just that, being a parent. Win explains, “Everything about it is fulfilling: the challenges, the teaching, guiding, nurturing. I’ve become who I am because of my son, I’ve matured and found a new way of being able to love someone unconditionally. My son looks up to me the same way I look up to my Dad. I’d have to say that the coolest thing about being a parent is knowing that I’m my son’s hero.”
If you know a young, single father, take the time to reach out and offer them your support, there isn’t a lot out there for Dads trying to figure things out on their own. Be there for them, so they know they have someone to turn to when they need to have a cry, or a vent, or when they need a hug. Often Dads put themselves down, and they truly believe that they aren’t a good father, so positive reinforcement can go a long way.
Win and Steve teamed up with Headspace to create an event – GET RAD for DAD – in Northcote, VIC. It was a skateboarding based event with food, games, prizes, raffles, skate prizes for the skaters, demos etc. The event was for the whole family, everyone was welcome, and a gold coin donation helped to raise funds for local youth and young fathers, just like Win and Steve.
MensLine Australia has professional counsellors available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, providing confidential and anonymous information and support for all father and parenting issues.
Call us on 1300 78 99 78 or access online counselling.
Spending Father’s Day without the kids can be tough. Read on for alternative ways to spend Father’s Day and still make the day special.
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