Perhaps a dozen years ago I was a lone voice, but I know I complained.
Not only did my daughter's elementary school hold father-daughter dances.... So did her local girl scout council.
So, every year - twice a year - I had to hope a family friend would remember to ask if my daughter wanted to go with them, of course, that still meant her dad was nowhere to be found. Which is what she would have wanted.
Yes, I could ask a family friend outright, but what if they wanted to make it a special daughter event and didn't have the heart to just say no.
it's difficult to say no to such a request when you're a decent person.
It was often the same with father-son campouts, just slightly less so... since once the boys got there it was madness and mayhem not an organized civil affair like a dance.
Aw, everything can't be fair for everyone - I know it - and I attended my share of campouts - but my kids knew it every day. Every night. And every father's day when I asked if they would like to send a card to their dad... Why? they would wonder. He didn't even like visiting if one of them was injured or in the hospital. He didn't remember their birthdays and ignored every invite we sent for the big, the small and the ordinary-but-tried anyway events in their lives. So, eventually they gave up.
I sure wish the headline here read: Enlightened School District Realizes Negative Impact on Fatherless Girls and Does Away with Father-Daughter Dances.With kudos to the mom who opened their eyes.
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