I Call My Dad by His First Name

 Yup, you read the title right. I call my dad by his first name. Not as much now, but growing up I definitely did. I grew up with my dad in my household. He and my mom are still married. By the time I made my backward entry into the world (I was born breach) my brother had established a pretty good relationship with him and that's what he called him. My calling him by his first name had nothing to do with our relationship though. I’ve been a daddy‘s girl for as long as I can remember. There’s a picture of him and I after he got off the night shift, he’s holding me however he’s knocked out and I am wide awake. This was our typically nighttime routine. He would come home and make me homemade fries and we would sit in his recliner and watch tv. I actually didn’t know it was weird that I didn’t call him Dad until I was in 5th grade. I was sitting at the table with my cousins and we were talking about our dads I was explaining something he did and kept calling him Bill. My cousin stopped me and said who? I casually answered, “ oh my Dad!” They were so confused and asked me why do I call him Bill. At 11 I was thinking the hell if I know I’ve always called him that. Not really but I had no idea though. It’s something I had ALWAYS done I knew no difference.

Though what most people thought was weird to them was normal for me. I urge you to be comfortable with being different. We don’t have to be cookie cutter. I call my dad Bill, but that doesn’t make him any more or less my father. It didn’t hurt our relationship at all. Dare to be different, bold, and courageous in whatever you do. Now don’t go calling your dad by his first name if that’s not something you do (I will not be held responsible for the backhand). Do something that other people don’t quite understand, but it works for you and your family.

One love,

DQue