As a stay-at-home mom, I am fortunate to have forged such a strong bond with my son and am grateful to my husband for the financial and emotional support he has given me to be able to care for our child. Although, I am the primary care taker, there is a deep connection between a father and son, that I as a mother cannot and will not replace.

For our family,  this is especially true at bedtime. What started as my husband stepping in to help save my sanity after many aggravating nights of attempting to settle down our child has turned into a special time between him and our son.

On a typical night in our home, I will give my son a bath and then hand him off to my husband. Yes, it can still be hard not to check in, but I respect that this is when my husband gets to strengthen his relationship with my son. Selfishly,  I love how much better our son, and myself, sleeps when dad handles bedtime.

I imagine in the years to come the time my husband and son spend together will evolve from reading stories and cuddles to talking about their days and calming any nighttime fears. No matter what, this will always be something the two of them will treasure for many years.

My belated Father’s Day wish is for all dads out there to have a similar bond with their children. Whether it’s bringing them to the playground, walking them to school or just spending the day together on the weekend, it is so important for dads to have something that is just for them.