Photo by Juliane Liebermann

Fathers hold a very significant role in a family. By default, they are the leader in a household. They guide and provide for each and every member of the family, greatly contributing to what will shape us into the person we wish to become. While they are busy helping us get ahead, have you ever thought about your father’s life?

Just like everyone else, our fathers go through struggles, too. For most children, they may seem like the strongest people they have in their lives, but they journey through life with challenges, too! A dad’s unexpected battle can come in many forms, so if you can, you should make time to think about your father and all that he does for you and the rest of the family.

For the majority of the population, as aforementioned, fathers hold the role of being the family breadwinners, caregivers, and disciplinarians. Not only that, but fathers can also be the handymen, the mechanics, the drivers, and the coaches within the family – all to ensure that the members of the household are safe and secure as they go through their daily lives so that each and every one of them can reach their goals thanks to the love and support of a dad.

With everything that our father does for us and with all the effort they put in so they could hopefully provide us all that the world can offer, they also deserve to receive the same! As they put on the hat of being a father, other people tend to set aside the fact that apart from being a loving father, they are individuals who also hold complexities in their hearts. Fathers have their own dreams, fears, and insecurities, too.

From work pressures to relationships with others, especially among the members of his family, to society’s expectations of what a father should be, isn’t it amazing that they carry so much without making it seem to the rest of the household that what they have on their shoulders are heavy? It is the perfect time to understand the weight that dads carry on a daily basis, and this blog is here to help you realize what they can be while also offering you a bit of a deep dive into their hidden lives. What are the silent struggles of a father? Read below what the most common ones are:   

Photo by Mikhail Nilov

The Heavy Weight of Responsibility in Your Father’s Life

From the moment a little one is born and welcomed into the family, the father at that moment now has to assume a large responsibility. To be exact, even before a child is born, they already have to hold the role of being a provider, protector, and pillar of support for the whole family. When a man becomes a father, he has to dedicate his entire self to ensuring the well-being of his family.

Fears and Insecurities in Your Father’s Life

While most fathers put on the tough and confident armor, fear and insecurities can simmer within. Most, if not all, fathers feel afraid that they may not be doing good enough or are not providing adequately for their loved ones.

The Vulnerability of His Emotions

Fathers are more than often perceived to be the strong. Fathers are the steady rock of the family, ensuring that their family is stable and well. While all that is true, it is vital for us to remember that they are, after all, human as well.

Fathers deserve to experience or feel the same joy, love, and pride that the rest of the family members feel, especially with regard to how mothers feel for their little ones. With the pressure that society places on fathers to be stoic, most of them would decide to suppress how they feel and bottle it all up inside, which is not good for their overall well-being.

A Father’s Sacrifices and Selflessness

Don’t we all give it our all when it comes to the people we love or hold important in our lives? The same goes for fathers, too! Not only that, but it also holds the possibility of those sacrifices and selflessness being heavier than others. When fathers aim to meet their family’s needs, their own dreams and desires tend to be pushed back.

Amidst the challenges and frustrations that they hold within, it is an outstanding feat that fathers can still be able to uphold their role. Aside from what was mentioned, there are many more that your father could be struggling with. After all that, it cannot be denied that a father’s love, just like a mother’s, is unconditional love.

Sadly, some family members fail to recognize the things that their fathers or father figures do for them. Please take some time to sit down, reflect, and talk with your father whenever you can, and let them know that they have your back if and whenever they need help or just a shoulder to lean on. It’s the least a child can do for a loving father.

For lovers of literature who seek to read a book that tackles important life matters such as the everyday life of people in general and, most of all, with regard to relationships, grab a copy of “The Love I Thought I Knew” today!