Janelle Harris shares at Ebony why, as a single mom, she doesn't need recognition on Father's Day. Her piece reflects on the fact that while, yes, single mothers take on the responsibilities of both mother and father, in no way can they fill the actual role that a man has in a child's life.
In my warm and fuzzy dreams, the good Lord will send a man who will willingly take on the role of not only my husband and partner, but a loving and wonderful father figure for Teen Girl. But he can't step into that position if I'm already standing in it.
I'm not going to reject people's well wishes when those texts and emails inevitably start rolling in. I would look all the way crazy barking down folks whose hearts are in the right place to try to encourage and honor me. But I won't be treating myself to dinner or getting a pedicure or anything else to commemorate the holiday. Try as I do to be there for Skylar in every way, I can't be her father. Only a man can do that. But I sure do revel in being her mother. It's my favorite thing in the world. (Most days, anyway. If you have a teenager, you understand.)
Read Janelle Harris' entire piece at Ebony.
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