Fatherhood Freestyle: The Weekenders
July 8, 2010 by Matt Prestbury
tell me when I can see my children
then you tell me that I can’t come to your building
and knock on the door for you to let them in
matter fact you tell me meet you at the gas station
be there at 6:30 and don’t have you waiting
if I take too long you’ll be getting impatient
and be downtown the next day telling them I’m violating
think about what you’re doing to them
when you open your door for a parade of men
one is barely out of your life before the next one comes in
and you got the nerve to tell my babies that I’m triflin
telling them that I don’t know how to treat women
and they shouldn’t be around me because I’ll corrupt them
It’s really time for the healing to begin
and cut all the hateful talk based on the pain that you’ve been feeling
if you choose to keep on acting this way
there gonna wake up and resent you one day
and understand that their father NEVER walked away
but was forced out despite his attempts to stay
and forced to respect a strangers orders
someone I never met telling me when I can see my daughters
and money doesn’t raise them It can only help support the
things that they need but I’m determined to be more than just a donor
so I send the payment as I must
and shake my head in disgust
and resent the fact that you didn’t trust
that we could work this out between us
reports cards came out and I was truly amazed
when the girls called and said that they got all A’s
and I really wanted to take them to out to Friday’s
but I couldn’t because it wasn’t one of my days
I told them, “When the weekend comes, I’ll take you to your favorite spot
I’m very proud of you two and I love you a lot
don’t ever let anyone tell you that I am not
doing the best I can with what I’ve got
although we can only spend time together on certain days
I am you father and I’m here for you always
keep striving for excellence in all ways
and I’ll keep on coming to your games, and recitals, and plays
so I’ll just keep sitting here waiting
to give the third degree to the guys that you’re dating
and keep on mailing a check although it’s frustrating
and keep on dreading Sunday evenings because it’s heart breaking”
’til we meet again
Fatherhood Freestyle: Not Your Average Baby Daddy, Part I
Fatherhood Freestyle: When Do You Introduce “The Next”?
Fatherhood Freestyle: Mamas, Are You Getting in the Way?
Leida on Fri, 9th Jul 2010 1:33 am
Matt,
What an eloquent and beautiful way to express your feelings on such a challenging subject. As the mother of a son whose father was absent AND as a daughter whose father chose to be largely absent, I respect and appreciate your love and commitment to your girls. THANK YOU for hanging in there the way that you do. You and other fathers living apart from their children, who refuse to be forced into the margins of their lives and ostracized, serve as shining examples to brothers who, for whatever reason, do not exhibit the same unwavering dedication to parenting their children. I pray that your light, and the light of those like you, continues to shine bright enought to touch many, many others who need help illuminating their own paths to committing to the well-being of their children.