Its nothing new but In my observations, it’s not uncommon, that on the children’s school pick up, there doesn’t tend to be many dads, whether we admit it or not Mums etc… still outnumber dads by a lot. There are various reasons of course and many different scenarios to why, and I’m not debating it at all, whether its right or wrong, gotten better over the years? or just simply a fact, it’s just what I have noticed.
It feels a bit Odd…
But over the months while waiting for both Tigger and Piglet at separate classroom entrances, I often look around and see whos picking kids up (let’s are honest we all do!), and to know one’s surprise there isn’t many of those dad type figures picking their kids up. There are interestingly more on the morning school run, and there is some of the afternoon one but many of them are also with Women, partners wives, who knows…
As a dad it does feel a bit weird at times, there’s often little clicks or groups of mums together talking, there’s some that are entertaining other kids, there’s some that DO NOT seem approachable, you may even see the odd grandparent, and the odd dad hanging around.
For those who haven’t done it, or mums that are used to being around other women and mums there, its a bit odd, it feels a little uncomfortable, I know its a little in my own head, and I shouldn’t let affect me or let me worry but it’s difficult to explain if you haven’t been in that situation, I do enjoy picking the kids up.
An Island…
But you do feel a little be like your on an island, and like I mentioned earlier, people looking at you even perhaps judging (I’m sure they’re not), but in reality its years and years of stereotyping, films,books, TV Papers, sp many example of it, and for many we are still growing up with this mindset, so when Dads are that parent that pick there kids up on an evening there will be some that perhaps think as I do, and there may be some that think, why is here? or that’s odd a dad is here? etc..
But things may be changing in the future but I don’t think quite yet, certainly not in my mind, but I hope there re many out there that this doesn’t affect, and they have no examples like this, I’m pleased for them and proud they have the mental strength and the confidence to be fine with it.
