This past week I had to miss two days of work due to my daughter being out with conjunctivitis. Missing work because of your child, is always a hard thing. Especially for the working parent. When you are a working parent, there are times when all you want to do is sleep in and miss your alarm. But as parents, we don’t get that option. When your child is sick, and unable to attend his or her daycare, somebody must stay home with them. I am very lucky that my place of employment is semi-lenient when it comes to this type of situation. However, it does really annoy me that I must miss work because her father won’t take her.

Fathers are parents too. Are they not? Last time I checked, fathers get just as many rights as mothers do, in most situations. Her father literally only sees her on Thursdays, but because L was sick, he thought he was off the hook. In all honestly, I don’t really care that her father lives with his mother, his sister and her child. Fathers should still have to see their children. Unfortunately, he was off the hook this time, but he isn’t for the rest of her life. Unless she makes that decision on her own when she is of age.

Luckily, my mother was able to watch L on this Thursday, but it really upsets me. Being a parent is a commitment. It’s not something you can choose to do or choose not to do. Do I get a choice when she suddenly becomes ill due to something? No, I don’t. If you are a parent you don’t either, I would assume. Something must change. I shouldn’t be the only person putting in effort for L to have a relationship with her father. You know if it’s forced, it’s probably going to be crap anyways.

L was free from her condition for 48 hours before her father was supposed to take her. If she had daycare on that day, she would have been able to return, but since spending time with her father on Thursdays is her daycare she was unable to attend. It confuses her at such a young age. I can only imagine it is going to get worse down the road. L deserves the best. She deserves someone who isn’t going to give up on her when the going gets tough.

This leads me to thank all the family and friends who have been around to help me out when her father isn’t. I thank you all more than you will ever know. It takes a lot to stay constant in a little one’s life. No matter what their friendship or relationship is to me, they always still ask about L. “Oh, how is L doing? She’s getting so big,” said a friend recently. The most important relationship to a person, is an unpaid relationship. A parent, a grandparent, an uncle, a cousin, a friend. An unpaid relationship, is so important to children. I am so lucky to have such a great support system. L is very lucky too. An even bigger thanks to my semi-boyfriend for never giving up on her, even when my days get rough. She cherishes your kids too. They are close friends with her. Thank you.