On Saturday, about twenty dads with their wives and children met in the morning by the Great Lawn for our 2nd Annual NYC Dads Grou pre-father’s day playdate in the park. What makes a day like this so special is that not only do I get to hang out with some wonderful dads, but I also get to meet the other half of the parenting equation in their family…which is such a rarity since most of our events are exclusively for dads. The weather was perfect! With blankets chained together under the canopy of shady tress (see pic by Scott H.), our children socialized, played ball, and worked on their sharing skills. Most parents got to relax, unwind, and enjoy themselves. Well, almost all of the parents. Unfortunately, my son thought it was much cooler to race off outside of the fenced in area rather than staying put so my wife & I can finish a conversation – he is three…so it’s par for the course. Either way, it was an awesome way to enjoy the ride of parenthood with so many other committed, caring, and involved parents. A chance to spend time with dads I have known for almost three years as well as welcome some new dads within our growing community. A few of the working dads that participated today had reqested more activities like this on the weekends because they are unable to attend our events during the week. A good point and something we hope to expand on in the future.
Most surprisingly, was my wife’s feelings about the entire event. She is the career oriented breadwinner of our family while I am primarily the at-home dad as the primary caregiver to our son. She said that this type of event where she is able to talk shop with other working moms who are also the breadwinner of their family was a real treat for her. Makes me think that other breadwinning moms are probably seeking camaraderie, socialization, and support in their unique roles. My wife has suggested in the past setting up a mom’s night or parents night out so she can engage in more conversations with parents in a similar situation as our family. Even more important for her, is to get to know the mothers of the dads that I have grown so close with over the years within our community. There are so many resources for the stay-at-home moms…but, what about the breadwinning moms? It certainly is a growing trend.
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