To the Dads: A Father’s Day Love Letter from Moms on Call

Celebrating all the ways dads bring adventure, love and encouragement to your children’s lives.

At Moms on Call, we’ve seen a lot over the years. We’ve seen countless newborns wrapped up like baby burritos, toddlers doing the limp-noodle tantrum in the grocery store and preschoolers delivering hard-hitting questions at bedtime like “Where do dinosaurs go when they die?” We’ve seen moms running on coffee and three hours of sleep, holding it together with love and a diaper wipe. But today? Today we want to talk about the guys in the trenches with us. The dads.

We’ve seen you, too.

The truth is, parenting babies and toddlers isn’t easy for anyone. It’s not glamorous. It’s early mornings and late nights. It’s mystery smells and rogue pacifiers and questions like, “Is this poop normal?” (For the record: Probably, but call your pediatrician if you’re not sure.) And while the role of fathers has always mattered, there’s something especially beautiful about the way dads today are showing up. They’re not just helpers. They’re partners. And we think that deserves a spotlight.

So, to the dads slinging diaper bags right alongside us, this one’s for you.

You bring a different kind of calm

There’s a moment we’ve both seen a thousand times: Mom is frayed. Baby is crying. She’s tried everything: bouncing, feeding, singing “You Are My Sunshine” for the 14th time. Nothing works. Then Dad walks in, takes that baby in those big ol’ arms and just holds them. No fancy technique. No panicked Googling. Just a steady, quiet presence.

And somehow that baby settles. You’ve got a magic all your own.

It’s not better. It’s not worse. It’s different. And that’s the whole point.

Babies don’t need perfect parents. They need a few people who love them unconditionally, show up consistently and model what it means to be human. Dads, your calm, your laughter, your "let's go outside and look at the sky" wisdom balances the boat in a way only you can.

You see the world through their eyes

One of our favorite things about dads is the way you enter your kids’ world with both feet. You don't just tolerate “playing pretend,” Instead, you become the dragon, the racecar, the daring explorer with one sock on. You build forts, tell epic bedtime stories and name all the stuffed animals like it’s your job (and for a few years, it kind of is).

We’ve watched you teach tiny hands how to hold a baseball glove or stack blocks higher than their little bodies or hammer wooden pegs into plastic boards with the seriousness of a contractor building a skyscraper.

You remind us that these years don’t last forever. They don’t have to be perfectly orchestrated to be meaningful. They just have to be lived.

You show love in action

Sometimes love is a shoulder ride after bath time. Sometimes it’s midnight diaper duty so Mom can sleep just a little longer. Sometimes it’s fixing the baby monitor, hauling the stroller into the trunk or being the guy who installs the car seat (and then checks it 47 times to make sure it’s level).

Love looks like sitting on a tiny chair at a pretend tea party. Or walking back and forth in a dark hallway at 3am singing the only lullaby you know which may be your favorite college football chant.

You don’t always get credit for those moments. But we see them. And they matter. They matter so much.

You give kids a picture of strength with heart

Let’s talk about strength. We’re talking about the kind of strength that holds space for tears. That lets your toddler put bows in your hair. That shows your kids how to say “I messed up” or “I’m sorry” and really mean it.

You are showing this next generation that strength and kindness aren’t opposites. They’re companions. And you do it not with long speeches, but with daily choices.

You teach your kids that showing up is strong. That staying soft is strong. That laughing at yourself is strong.

You are building strong boys and strong girls with soft hearts and that’s a gift to all of us.

You let them leap and catch them when they fall

We love the way dads encourage their kids to try. To take risks. To jump off the curb, climb the jungle gym and throw the ball just a little harder. You let them test limits (within reason), and then you catch them with those bear hugs when they land a little too fast.

You are teaching resilience. Confidence. Courage.

And that doesn’t just happen on playgrounds. It happens in the quiet encouragement at the breakfast table. In the high-fives after a scraped knee. In the way you tell your kids, “You’ve got this,” even when they’re not so sure.

You believe in your kids in a way that helps them believe in themselves.

You’re not just “helping out” — you’re all in

Here’s the thing: You’re not just babysitting your own kids. You’re not filling in. You’re not background noise. You are parenting. Actively, intentionally, beautifully parenting.

We’ve seen the way you show up to pediatrician appointments, change schedules for dance recitals and make the world’s best peanut butter and jelly sandwich (don’t worry, we won’t tell Mom you cut the crusts off in the shape of a dinosaur).

You’re in it. For the giggles, the tantrums, the bedtime meltdowns and the magical moments when that little voice says, “I love you, Daddy.”

You’re in it for the long haul — and that makes all the difference.

So, Dads: Thank You.

Thank you for the countless ways you show up for your kids and your partner.

Thank you for bringing balance, joy, steadiness and humor to the everyday chaos of raising little ones.

Thank you for wearing the baby carrier even though it kind of kills your back. For learning how to swaddle. For being the voice that says, “We’re doing okay,” when it all feels like too much.

We know that no one gets it right every time. But the way you love and learn alongside your family — that’s what makes you a great dad.

We are so glad you're on the team.

Happy Father’s Day from all of us at Moms on Call who know just how much your presence matters.