If you are a man, have reproduced and live in North America, most of Europe, Asia and Africa – then chances are you woke up this morning to be greeted with a breakfast of runny eggs and burnt waffles and, depending on career choice, a new tie/hammer/hand gun. But if you’re me, you were awoken with a prod, an “it’s your turn to get up with him” and a stale scone as a morning meal. (Insert adagio violins here.) You see, Dr. O’C managed to hit both the British Mother’s Day and Australian Mother’s Day in one year, and reaped the rewards of both. I, however, missed my first Father’s Day in Oz last September and am missing my first rest of the world Father’s Day today. Suspicious timing for the move, hmmmm?

Despite not even receiving a new pair of socks in recognition of my ability to keep a defenseless child alive for nine months, I’ve gotten a bit reflective (sappy) about my role as the pater familias.* I’ve been thinking about how much things have changed in the nine months since Z came into the world, how much my tolerance for another human being has grown. No matter what the scamp is doing, no matter how frustrated I get with him – whether it be for trying to eat the dog’s food or puking on my head I’m still delighted to have him around. I understand why parents put up with endless shit from their kids, why they bail them out when they’re in trouble and why they defend them beyond the point of reasonableness. For me there is something about looking at my child’s face and seeing a little bit of me and a little bit of the woman I love looking back at me. When I see that familiarity, no matter what the boy is doing – smacking my iPod repeatedly on the table or chasing the dog whilst roaring like a maniac – I can’t help but be in his thrall.

What was I writing about? That’s right, Father’s Day, which it is everywhere in the world except Oz, Luxemborg and Nepal (oh, and New Zealand). If you’re not in any of those places and if you’re a father I’d like to wish you a Happy Father’s Day. To my friends, “real” and cyber, around the world – Happy Father’s Day. But particularly to my own Dad. We’ve had our ups and downs over the years. One of the gifts of becoming a father is that I now understand him better. Love you Dad.

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