What makes a Daddy?
As early as now, I want to be ready to answer my little girl's questions regarding our family set-up. It's really a big deal for me because I know it will have a big impact on her personality, her character, and her future. For sure, knowing that your father is a jerk will greatly affect your emotions, and your personality. That' why as much as possible, I'd like to tell Thea in the most gentle way that her father did not recognize her and left because he thought he will have a better life without us. Huh.
So to make things simpler, I thought of explaining the different kinds of families we have in our society.
(Note: I will not include same-sex marriages. )
There are four (4) kinds of parents:
1. Daddys and Mommys who are also the biological father and biological mother of the child.
2. Daddys and Mommys who are not the biological parents of the child.
3. A Daddy or a Mommy whor raises his/her biological child alone.
4. When the Daddy or Mommy in no. 3 re-marries, the new Mommy or Daddy is called a step mother or step-father.
Thea and I belong to category no. 3. Though she has a biological father (all of us do, hello), that biological father isn't Thea's Daddy. You see, for me, "Daddy" is a special name for men who truly love their children, whether they are the biological father, a step-father, or an adoptive parent.
"Daddy" is the one who loves the child's mother.
"Daddy" is the one who provides for the family (how much he earns is not an issue, the fact that he strives hard to provide for his family is enough).
"Daddy" is the one who strives to protect his family from physical and emotional distress.
"Daddy" is that one special person who is willing to give up everything, anything, for his family.
Thea, you have me, your Mommy, to love you forever. I can't promise that you'll have a Daddy someday. Let's just be content to have Papou and Mamou, your Nana, Mama Maluh, Papa Armando, Mama Cors, Kuya Ceejay and Gabee, your Tito Pogi -- Cy and JR, Tito Nar, all your ninongs and ninangs, cousins, aunts ... see, a lot of people love you. And, as your Mamou told you before, you have Papa Jesus. He is a Father to the "fatherless". You are definitely not incomplete.
