You can't play two positions...

I'm sure this post will upset a lot of people, but I feel compelled to share my feelings and my opinion.

So I usually avoid social media sites on Father's Day. I usually miss the hundreds of Father's Day wishes on Facebook and Twitter as well as I miss posting out to other fathers on that day. I miss all the memorial messages and pictures of real fathers who have passed away on Instagram. The reason, you ask? Misplaced accolades. It irritates me when people shout out mothers on fathers day. It's like a thorn in my foot (keeping it PG for my readers...LOL).

A friend of mine posted one year on Facebook how it takes a strong woman to be both mother and father. Although I believe that she is a GREAT mother, I also believe no woman can play the father role. I know we live in a day where there are more mothers raising kids alone and more fathers being absent from their kid's lives. I know that these mothers have miraculously nurtured and provided for their children with little or no help. I truly understand this because I am a product of a strong mother such as that. However, there are things that fathers bring to the table that mothers will never be able to fill.

At a certain age in a child's life, they will pay less attention to what you say and more attention to what you do. When a child has balance of having both mother and father in their lives, they can learn so much of men and women from observating the two people they trust the most in the whole world. With that being sad, a mother cannot "show" her son how to be a man/father or her daughter how to recognize what makes a good man.

What irritates me the most about this idea is that it resonates the wrong message. Every celebration of a mother as being both mother and father further devalues the importance of fathers. Please keep in mind that it doesn't increase the value of the mother. Whether she feels she plays both roles, she is still just a great mother. You are no greater for saying that and no lesser for not. However, you send a message to society that fathers are not needed...an essentially letting these men "off the hook" by making their position sound optional. As incorrect as that viewpoint is, it won't be long before it will be thought that fathers are not wanted.

So I think we should stop trying to take credit for things that are beyond our title and capabilities. If you are a great mother, celebrate in that fact. This also applies to single dads raising their kids. Stop trying to claim Mother's Day, homie!!! **Kanye shrug**

As always (and moreso in today's post), these are just my thoughts.

P.S. Happy Father's Day to all the dads.