“Today I had to be the [mom],” Brad Kearns began his now viral Facebook posts.
The Australian dad found himself being the sole caregiver of his kids, Knox, 2, and Finn, 6 weeks when his wife, Sarah, had to be admitted to the hospital due to liver failure.
“It is hard, It’s really hard,” Kearns admitted in the post, where he talks about caring for his sons by himself. “I don’t know how single parents do it.”
He started sharing daily updates to entertain his friends. He shared hilarious experiences, including an incident involving kiddie stickers and his leg hair and realising how he neglected his own personal hygiene while caring for a newborn.
It turned out to be a hit in his own social media circle. It was when one friend asked him to make the post public in order for her to share it that it quickly become viral, cracking up parents and non-parents alike.
“You know when your wife always says ‘I wish I could be the dad,’ and you’re like — It’s the same thing?” Brad wrote. “Well sit back, relax, grab a drink, some popcorn…because I’m about to take you on a ride that could only be likened to a backwards 100 mph roller coaster that takes you through waterfalls of vomit, shit and lots of tears.”
His wife, Sarah, had been on maternity leave (right until she had to be admitted to the hospital) while Brad worked full time.
“I think people relate well to (the posts,) because, even in 2016 it’s still quite traditional for one parent to work whilst the other is on maternity leave. The small challenges seem to be hitting a spot with a lot of partnerships out there,” the funny dad told TODAY in an interview.
“The biggest experience I will take away is just to understand that even though we’re both parents, in our situation whilst I am at work, Sarah is definitely doing the harder work,” he added.
He put up a Facebook page called DadMum to chronicle his adventures which led a lot to believe that he was a single parent.
“Brad is the most wonderful father. Before Finn arrived six short weeks ago we both worked full time and we worked at opposite times so that one parent was always home for Knox,” his wife, Sarah, told TODAY. “I think people assume he has never been left with the kids by himself before.”
“I called Brad on the first night I was in hospital and Finn was crying in the background,” she continued. “I burst into tears and was feeling guilty for deserting my babies — particularly newborn Finn and felt like the worst mum ever. Brad got off the phone and wrote the post to tell me, in his hilarious way, that he thought I was supermum because it is tough…I have an awesome husband.”
If you have any insights, questions or comments regarding the topic, please share them with us!