House Parenting

CHILDREN STORIES

Father's Day Show And Tell

My name is Nicole Isabel and today I am taking my daddy to school for father's day show and tell.
As I walk into my classroom, I am shaking like a Mexican jumping bean, because I don't know what my classmates will think of what my dad does for a living.
My daddy explains why he is following a long and proud male tradition in his family.
It all began in rural Mexico around 1910. My daddy told us that for years, men had been fighting in the revolutionary war, but it was a group of women, led by my great great grandmother, Dona Adela, who would change his life forever.
These women were called to support their local armies, first as cooks and nurses, later becoming official soldiers. back then, these female soldiers were known as soldaderas or Adelitas.
Men like my great great grandfather, tatarabuelo Don Ricardo, were left behind at home to take care of their young children while the women fought for freedom. Most men did not know how to cook, wash, or iron, much less how to change a diaper.
It was especially hard at bedtime, since nobody knew how to sing a lullaby or rock a baby to sleep. These men felt lost, confused and scared.
My daddy says he feels the same way sometimes, but right now my classmates are the only ones looking lost and confused.
Don Ricardo became known as a pioneer of the “full-time dad” movement thanks to his courage (and humility) in asking the wiser elder women for advice.
He organized the first playgroup for dads to meet other men in similar situations, to trade recipes, and to share stories. Or sometimes just to break down in tears and to ask for a hug from the other men.
Some of those children later became daddies themselves, one of them being my great grandfather, bisabuelo Don Agustin. Now Don Agustin is “Mr. Mom” and he is doing the cooking, the cleaning, and the diaper changing.
These were easier times – the tears and frustrations were less severe and happened less often, because Don Ricardo had made sure to pass his teachings and wisdom to his son so he would not have the same troubles that many prior men had.
My daddy shares with us tales of long walks under the hot Sonora Desert sun and of many sleepless nights that my grandfather, abuelito Jorge, had on his journey from Mexico to the United States in search of a better life for himself and his family.
Years later, abuelito Jorge saw his son, my dad, get married to a smart, independent woman, my Mom and began coaching him to be the next proud male to stay home with his kids.

by Roberto Tena
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Posted by Roberto Comments (1) | Views (501) 2007-06-03 17:56:04

Comment by ChristineShirley: 2010-12-16 11:57:03
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