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Father’s Day Ideas For Single Mums

Fatherโ€™s Day for single mums can be a difficult day when it crops up in September, emotions can run riot depending on your circumstances.  Fatherโ€™s Day is not a day that should be ignored, regardless of the reason why dad isnโ€™t around to celebrate. So how do you celebrate when there is no dad?

Celebrating a new family tradition on Father’s Day for single mums

For one reason or another, if your children have never really known Dad, you may feel thereโ€™s no real reason to celebrate the traditional Fatherโ€™s Day.  That said, thereโ€™s no reason why you canโ€™t introduce a new family tradition into the house to mark the occasion in a different way.

You may choose to rename the occasion Family Day and celebrate the extended family on Father’s Day.  If you hold a close relationship with your own parents, you and your children could celebrate Grandpa instead.  Thereโ€™s no reason why your childโ€™s kindy or school Fatherโ€™s Day themed activities couldnโ€™t be focused on Grandpa or Uncle instead.

Most educational centres these days are accepting of the non-traditional โ€˜nuclear familyโ€™ model, and will not exclude kids that donโ€™t have Dad around on Fatherโ€™s Day.

Celebrating a childโ€™s late father on Fatherโ€™s Day

For many children, Fatherโ€™s Day is a joyous celebration, but if your childโ€™s father has passed this is undoubtedly a difficult time for your family.

How this is done will depend on your circumstance, but some suggestions include:

  • Encourage expression through art.  Death of a loved one is incredibly difficult to talk about, but is a little easier when using a pen, pencil, paints and paper.  If your child enjoys drawing or writing, Fatherโ€™s Day can be a way to express feelings through artistic endeavours.
  • Visit Dadโ€™s special place.  Depending on the age of your child, a visit to Dadโ€™s grave on Fatherโ€™s Day may be too difficult to manage.  Instead, consider spending some time at one of Dadโ€™s favourite spots; the beach or his favourite fishing spot perhaps.

Rather than dreading the occasion, you can use Fatherโ€™s Day as a time to reflect and remember Dad.

Fatherโ€™s Day after a separation or divorce

A grandad and grandson fishing

When you are separated or divorced, there may be friction between you and your childโ€™s father.  If there is a mutual care arrangement, there is no reason why your child canโ€™t celebrate Fatherโ€™s Day with Dad, although it is important to have the day and times arranged in advance to avoid conflict.

Negotiating with your ex partner may not be easy, but it is important to put yourselves in the shoes of your children.  If Fatherโ€™s Day happens to fall on a weekend when you have the children, you may need to switch it around to suit.

Remember Fatherโ€™s Day is special to your child as much as it is for their dad, so it is important to understand what they would like to do to celebrate.  You may not like the thought of buying a gift or a card for your ex partner, but if your child wants to, give them a little cash to choose something for Dad if itโ€™s what they want to do.

Make Fatherโ€™s Day work for your family

There is no denying that celebrating Father’s Day for single mums has its challenges. Whatever you decide to do for Fatherโ€™s Day when Dad isnโ€™t in the picture is up to you and your family.ย  There are no right or wrongs; just do whatever it takes to support your children, depending on your situation.

Looking for more Father’s Day ideas in Brisbane?

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Janine Mergler

Janine Mergler is a veteran Queensland teacher, graduating from QUT with a BEd majoring in Social Sciences. After many years in the classroom, Janine moved on to academia. She has proudly trained new generations of teachers in her role as a lecturer at Queensland University of Technology Faculty of Education. She has also worked in the Queensland Government as an education specialist, developing education resources and delivering community awareness programs to help families conserve water. Currently she is the owner and editor of Families Magazine, a publication specifically targeted at parents who value a quality education for children.ย  Janine leads a team of professionals who write about family lifestyle, early childhood, schools and education information and family-friendly events.

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