A Single Father’s Journey

Did you know that 6.2 million single mothers do not receive child support or any support from fathers at all? How do I know that? It’s recorded in government data. But have you ever stopped to wonder about the small amount of fathers who do support? We matter.

The stereotype for all men is mostly “deadbeat dads” or “half men.” Well meet me… I’m Cristian and I became a father at the age of 16. I have custody of my daughter Jade and I am doing it all on my own without mother figure for my daughter and without any sort of motherly instinct. At first I thought maybe it would have been easy or a piece of cake, but once I got custody of my daughter my whole world and life changed. Many people are proud of me but not many people know that as a man, it really hits us harder than women. From my point of view, men weren’t “meant” to raise children on their own.

I am a man who came from a mother who raised only boys, in a family full of boys, and my offspring came into this world as a beautiful girl. I woke up into reality and thought, “How can I possibly raise her when I haven’t even raised myself completely?” I grew into it, oh trust me, but I learned that you slowly fall into the world of parenting. Each day I learned to not hate it, but to love it more and more. I forgot about the girls, the partying, and of course I forgot about myself at points.

Honestly, I still complain and after two years I am not used to the feeling of being a father or even bringing a baby into this world. But it happened and I deal with it everyday.

So to the fathers who think you can’t do it YOU CAN and you’re not alone. Take my advice when I tell you, you become a man and you grow even more wise. When it comes to making decisions, you think right all the time and that’s one reason why I thank Him everyday for my blessing, my little bundle of joy. Whether I’m single or taken, I will raise her and I will be here for my child. Until the day God calls upon me, I will be a father because parenting is not a job, it’s a never ending journey until you reach the crossroads.