A tough year
My name is Dale. I am the 2019 Canadian Dad Blogger of the Year and a stay-at-home Dad to three special needs kids under the age of 5 diagnosed with Autism, Rett Syndrome and an Anxiety Disorder. Just days after my kids were diagnosed last year, I too received a diagnosis of MS.
I thought only Moms stayed at home
Being a stay-at-home Dad has been one of the loneliest, most challenging things I’ve ever done. There is lots of support for Moms, but far less (if any) support for Dads doing the same thing. In the beginning, having three kids under the age of 2 made it tough to leave the house; adding their special needs into the equation (such as being non-verbal and having severe mobility issues) made it virtually impossible.
Follow my story online: @DaleAllenBerg
As a coping mechanism and a way to interact with others, I began sharing my story online through blogging and my Instagram account. I’ve since added public speaking too. I’ve built my platform to advocate for my special needs kids, be a voice for Dads (especially the rare few who are the primary caregiver) and promote Fatherhood in a captivating and engaging way.
There’s no such thing as a stupid question… or is there?
The most common question I get asked is if my boy/girl twins are identical… but after that awkward moment is over it would be, “how do you do it?” to which I sarcastically reply “I didn’t know I had a choice!”
Don’t believe everything you’re told.
Everyone keeps telling me that “things will get easier”, but they don’t. It’s a myth or a lie. What happens rather is that we have the opportunity to grow stronger and become more resilient - a topic I love to talk about. Remember that there are no secrets to success - or parenting for that matter. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure. If I can do it… Yoo can do it too!
