Contributor Confessions I Our Better Halves

As moms, we tend to get a lot most of the credit for how our children are raised. If a child can read at a remarkable age, it’s usually the mom who’s praised for spending time with them on phonics. If a child is well-behaved, it’s usually the mom who gets the compliments on being a strong influence on their behavior.

We walk proud and stand ten feet tall when it comes to our children. There’s no greater accomplishment than watching our kids grow into the person they’re going to be.

But, SHH! We have a secret. . .

There’s an old saying that “Behind every great man, there’s a great woman,” but for a lot of moms, there’s a second motto we live by, and it’s usually not said as often (or out loud):

Behind every great mom lies her support; her husband. 

What our Dallas Moms Blog readers don’t typically see are the men that stand behind us as we go through our mid-day meltdowns, the ever-changing pregnancy hormones, and are forced to listen to more “poop” stories than one blog reader could ever endure.

Sometimes we get so carried away in the day-to-day grind of motherhood that we don’t always mention them in our posts or often enough to our friends, but we have come to truly appreciate the men in our lives and the support they’ve given to us both in front and behind the scenes.

Although a blog post could never, NEVER thank them enough for the hard work and dedication they put into parenting and relationships, we thought we’d start with just a little tribute to some of the husbands who stand behind the writers of Dallas Moms Blog:

What are some ways your husband supports you? 

My husband (Richard) is wonderful because he supports me in all of my crazy endeavors and challenges me to grow in whatever I take on. He is also a big kid at heart which my children adore about him! He is a keeper! ~Jennifer

My husband has always made my job as a mother so much more enjoyable. I’ve never felt like I’m doing it alone. The kids aren’t just my responsibility; they are joyfully both of our responsibility….even at 1am, and 3am, and 5am! There were times after our 2nd child was born (19 months after the first!), that I (frequently) had to call him in tears during the day because motherhood had got the best of me. He never made me feel like a burden. He often left work early, or in the middle of the day, to come home and step in for me. I was on the brink of losing it, and he could see that. I know he is always there for me, and he is constantly finding ways to to make this motherhood journey better for me. I am forever grateful for this amazing husband of mine.~Lauren

With four kids, my life would be impossible if it was’t for my husband.  He is my partner in parenting and is happy to give me a break when he senses I need one.  He is a key to my sanity with four ages five and under!~Heather

On mornings that I teach Pilates, my husband gets up and gets the kids fed and ready to go in the mornings so that I can earn a little extra money and get some workout time. He also feeds them dinner and puts them to bed at least once or twice a week so I can meet with my community group girls, attend book club, or do blog-related events. I never have to “give him instructions.” He’s not a babysitter. He’s their dad. We parent equally. Thanks for helping me have a life outside of kids, honey! ~Jenny

What’s something spontaneous your husband has done for you recently? 

On a recent Saturday morning, my husband (Brandon) not only offered to do the grocery shopping, but he took both kids with him! This gave me time to get a few things done in a quiet house, and take longer than a 2 minute shower. It was such a nice gesture and made really made my day ~Shanna

Recently, Sunday afternoon arrived and we still hadn’t found time to take our 16 month old to get a much needed haircut.  I knew I wouldn’t have time during the work week, and the following weekend was jam-packed.  To top it all off, I was about to leave the house for a good friend’s baby shower.  As I was preparing to leave, I noticed my husband was getting Reid’s diaper bag ready.  Upon asking where they were going, he said “to get a haircut.”  As you can imagine, I was one happy (and relieved) mama.  Little did I know, they had an entire afternoon planned! . . . When I got home from the shower, Reid’s hair was beautifully cut (and styled), he had been to the park for some playground fun with dad, daddy had a little “just because” present wrapped on the counter for mommy, he had already fed Reid dinner, our dinner was on the stove cooking, AND my favorite brownies were baking in the oven.  ~Michelle

How would you describe your husband as a father? 

When I first had my daughter, I was so surprised how natural being a father was for him; how it seemed like that is what he was meant to be all his life.  I feel like sometimes society forgives fathers faster for not being an equal parent, and I feel foolish that I subscribed to that ideal because now I wouldn’t accept anything less. And he wouldn’t accept it either.  From diaper changes to discipline, I have always felt that he puts in his equal share and couldn’t feel more blessed that I have him as my partner. ~Cassidy

I don’t think I truly knew who my husband was as a man until he became a father. You always hear that a you can look at the way a man treats his mother and can guess from that how he’ll treat his wife, but there’s no frame of reference for what they’ll be like as a dad until it happens. After 7 years of marriage, just when I thought I knew everything about my husband, I saw a whole new side of him come to life when he met our first child. I couldn’t have asked God for a better husband, father, or man to have as a support in my life. ~Krystal

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So, we’ve bragged on the men in our life, here’s your chance to brag on the man in yours!

What do you love most about your husband or significant other, and what are some unique ways they’ve supported you through motherhood?