It’s that time again to celebrate the Dads! I come from a very non-traditional experience of Fatherhood. My parents split up when I was a toddler, and my biological father lived in Italy most of my life. I didn’t see him often. My Mom repartnered when I was three and a half with my Stepfather, and had two more kids. I grew up with him, predominantly raising me, but not calling him “Dad”– even though he basically was. Then, he and my Mom split up when I was in my early 20s, complicating things further. People still comment on the fact that he and I are “still in touch”, which I find beyond bizarre, as he was my father figure my entire life. You don’t just dump somebody when you get divorced, even if they aren’t blood!

Then, as you all know, I got divorced when my own kids were very small. Mateo was still in utero! My new partner, Ian, has been raising the kids with me for about 4 years. He became their “official” Stepfather when we got married this past June. They call Kyle “Dad” and Ian “Appa”. My kids consider both Kyle and Ian their Dads, and they’re proud to have two instead of the typical one! I guess my point is that love, not blood, makes a family. This is something I reflect upon every year on both Father’s Day and Mother’s Day. Sometimes we have extra parental figures, sometimes we have none. Sometimes we technically have them, but don’t have a positive relationship. To me, it’s a reminder to really honor and cherish the people who show up in our lives as parents, who do the hard work, and who make us feel loved and safe. It is truly so lucky to be able to have them when we do, in whatever form that takes.

In honor of Father’s Day and all the great Dads out there, I am sharing my Father’s Day Gift Guide with you today! There are so many great options in every price point that any dad would love. Let me know which ones are your favorites!

Photographs by Flytographer

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