24/08/2025
✨ MOM, WHAT OF DADDY? ✨
It was just another evening in your life, or so you thought.
You had just returned from work, tired but determined to put food on the table. While fixing dinner for your nine-year-old son, a question slipped out of his tongue:
“Mom, what of daddy?”
And suddenly, the reality of single motherhood slapped you across the face.
At moments like this, it’s easy to feel hurt. You might be tempted to flare up—“After all I’ve done, you’re still asking of daddy?” Or you might sink into guilt, thinking, “Maybe I’m not enough.”
But there is a third option—a better option—you can choose.
When your child asks, “what of daddy?”, silence, denial, or harshness can do more harm than good. Children are naturally curious. Their questions are not attacks; they’re simply trying to make sense of their world.
This is where transparency and wisdom are required.
Transparency means you are not being dodgy or untruthful. If your child discovers that you’ve lied once, it becomes harder for them to trust anything else you say—even when it’s true.
Wisdom means being age appropriate. The truth can be told in different ways and to different degrees. Knowing what to say, and what to leave out for now, is crucial.
One thing to avoid as much as possible is bad mouthing the absent parent. It’s not about painting false pictures, but about presenting the truth in a way that preserves their innocence without deceiving them.
If you made mistakes, don’t be afraid to admit them. Children often respect honesty more than perfection. If the other parent genuinely did wrong, present the facts, but resist planting seeds of bitterness.
Children are not fools, especially if you’ve raised them well. And remember:
👉🏽 One day, they will grow.
👉🏽 One day, they will connect the dots.
👉🏽 And when they do, may they look back and see that you raised them with love, dignity, and honesty.
That’s why it’s best not to wait until your child asks before telling them the truth. As soon as they are mature enough to understand, gently let them know. It’s not about when you feel ready—they deserve to know, and you owe it to them.
To every single mother reading this: you are not failing.
Your effort, your love, and your courage count more than you realize.
✨ Do you have an experience to share or question to ask? Drop it in the comments!
