This Father of 6 Wants You to Know He’s Not the Babysitter, Thanks Very Much

Jessica and Jeremy Martin-Weber are our vote for parenting win of the month — maybe the year. These two, well… they’re just getting it right.

The couple lives in Portland, Oregon, with — go on, sit down — their six daughters. They co-write a parenting blog called Beyond Moi, and we are definitely fans. (If you are a papa outnumbered by females in your household, Jeremy’s post “7 Truths I Have Learned as a Man Living with Four Women Who Have Periods” is pretty much a must-read.)

More:The importance of the father-daughter relationship

This month, Jeremy posted on the couple’s shared Facebook account about his wife heading off on a trip. We wanted to stand up and cheer when we read his take on fatherhood. It’s a sentiment we’ve heard more often from women — why are we praising men for “stepping up” to care for their own kids when they’re parents too?

So enjoy Jeremy’s completely refreshing take on the issue. We sure did.

Our favorite part?

“Who is going to do all that stuff while their mom is away?

“Me. That’s who. Because I’m not the babysitter. I’m not just their playmate.

“I’m their dad. And looking after them and guiding them and caring for them is my responsibility.

“And I love it — with all of its challenges.”

Damn straight, Jeremy.