Rev. Shawn J. Smith

People are going crazy over the viral pic of a dad with his baby girl in a carrier on his chest while he helps his young daughter with her hair before school. http://daddydoinwork.com/dreamin/
Sadly, there are people who are offended by this image and have lowered themselves to such a level of brainless slander that one can only ask “What are you so afraid of?!” Thankfully, the over all response has been positive for him and I join with them in saying; “Keep it up Dad!”

I have four kids, three of whom are girls, and I have spent plenty of time in the kitchen, helping with bath time, attempting to do hair, and every other task imaginable. Why? I have four kids. My wife and I are a team, not a solo act with an assistant who does all the “home stuff.”

Now that said even with our team approach there are things that she does and there are things that I do.

I am a dad.

I am the comforting presence and soother of fears in the middle of the night.

I am the one who “saves” my kids from the spiders, bugs, and sounds.

I am the bottom of the dog pile. I am the one who carries them up the stairs to bed. I am the teller of stories.

I am a dad; doing my dad thing.

There are days when I wonder if I am doing enough. There are hours, days of self doubt. There will always be people who are there to hate on you no matter how hard you try, but they don’t get to have the last say tonight or the next. Your kids love you. You are not alone. We struggle. We fail. We keep trying together.

So to all the moms and dads out there doing their thing. Keep it up. God bless you and may God give you peace and joy tonight!