Hands on Dads

Were your husbands/ or you Fathers, hands on Dads? My husband could never change a babies nappy but he could give them a bottle/ meal and put them to bed if I was ill or out

Re: Hands on Dads

Yes, my husband was a hands on Dad right from the start when our twins were born. As they were premature they weren't allowed home until they were six weeks old and he didn't hesitate about helping me with them ..... although the first nappy he put on them dropped straight off when he lifted them up In those days it was terry nappies and he didn't get the hang of fastening them for quite a while

Re: Hands on Dads

I was only thinking the other day, what a wonderful father my ex husband was.
Each evening he would bath the children and put them to bed. Then, he would read them stories, usually by Enid Blyton, The Wishing Chair, The Magic Faraway Tree, The Enchanted Wood, Mr Pinkwhistle stories, plus many more.
They looked forward to going to bed as they were enthralled by these stories and have never forgotten them.
They think the world of their dad, as he was an exceptional father....

Re: Hands on Dads

I had to be a hands on dad as my wife became ill with severe post natal depression 3 days after having our daughter. I was self employed at the time so had to get a friend to cover for me with my customers so I could be at home.
Three weeks later things got much worse and she had to go into a mental hospital and I was left with the baby and had to learn very quickly how to mix feeds, sterilize bottles and all the other things that a three week old baby needed as well as running back and forward to the hospital twice a day to see my wife and taking the baby with me so that my wife did not loose contact with the baby.
It was my wife and my daughter. You just do what you have to do. Luckily my son was 14 and was a help to me.

Re: Hands on Dads

My dad was bloody useless at everything except painting and decorating (his trade after the RAF). When mum had to go into hospital when we were young kids we had to be taken into care for a couple of weeks until she recovered as the useless git couldn't cook without burning everything or do the laundry properly.

Luckily for me, I'm more capable and can turn my hand to anything (including nappy changing BTW ). I'm also an excellent cook having done all the cooking during my married life - after the dad fiasco, mum showed us three how to cook for ourselves in case she was hospitalised once again.

Re: Hands on Dads

My dad was a very practical man. He was a joiner by trade and made much of the furniture in our house. He was always in his shed pottering about making something or repairing bikes and other things.

As far as changing nappies goes I don't remember him changing mine as I'd have to have a really good memory for that.
Myself, I've never changed a nappy in my life.

Re: Hands on Dads

My dad was very traditional, leaving most of our day-to-day fundamentals of rearing to my mother while he was providing for us and maintaining the house and cars. He was (and still is) and exceptionally engaged in our lives - as wonderful at being a dad as my mom is at mothering.

Sixty years of marriage with a lot division of labor and some sharing the load has worked happily and well for them and us. Though he still needs someone to make him a sandwich .

Re: Hands on Dads

Have to admit I was mostly on my own when the kids were young hubby was either away or he left early and got back late. When he was home yes he was hands on but he can't cook so well I think he would admit that.

Re: Hands on Dads

I did my share of changing and washing nappies. Also putting scraped-off nappies into a lidded bucket prior to washing. The joys of parenthood in the days before disposable nappies.

We used to share bottle feeding the babies and after they grew a bit, the same with spoon feeding. Also getting them dressed etc. I think I was pretty much 'hands on' with everything.

Re: Hands on Dads

My husband was very hands on where our children's education was concerned, which was very important as they are highly intelligent. He also played board games with them, something I have always disliked. I was the one who changed nappies and walked the floor with them, that wasn't his scene. I had no objection to that as I was a stay at home mother.