“This is a serious post! What’s the deal with not having changing tables in men’s bathroom as if we don’t exist!! #FLM#fatherslivesmatter – Clearly we do this often because look how comfortable my son is. It’s routine to him! Let’s fix this problem!
This particular day was like any other day. My family and I gather together in the car to do some much-needed errands throughout town. Wanting to treat my wife to a nice family dinner, because she’s a very hard-working mom, l decided it would be nice if the family ate out this particular night. After ordering our meal, the oldest, who is 12 years old, had to use the bathroom. I figured, let’s kill two birds with one stone. I took both my sons to use the bathroom and to be changed.
I’m used to going places and changing my son on my lap, which is why, as you can tell in the picture, my son is comfortable with this routine of ours. The only difference is, my oldest son (who was my helper this time around), was not only handing me wipes and diapers, but he also took some snapshots in the mix of things.
Once we got back to the table, he thought it would be funny to show mom ‘how daddy changes his little brother (on his lap).’ The family laughed about how comfortable he was just lying there, but also my wife took notice that she’s never had to change him this way. There’s always a changing table when she goes into restrooms. Especially restrooms in restaurants as ‘fancy’ as we were eating in.
Changing my son like this is a norm to me. I really didn’t think anything of it. The only thing on my mind is ‘my son needs to be changed, let me change him.’ Not until my wife brought it to my attention, did I start thinking, ‘Is our lack of fatherhood that bad in our society where restaurants don’t even bother to put changing tables in men’s restrooms?’
No, I’m not going to be rallying up a Million Man Father’s March. Nor will I be protesting that fathers need equal benefits to our counterparts. I just hope this post shows there are good fathers out there who step up to the plate every day. Who don’t mind staying up all night with a crying baby, or changing diapers (even if it’s not the conventional way of doing it).”
This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Dante Palmer, of Saint Augustine, Forida. Submit your story here, and subscribe to our best love stories here.
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