Actually, in my experience, the "bad boy" types are often the dedicated dads. They get an unfair rep here.

Most of them grew up with absent or unavailable fathers so they want better for their kids. Because society sees them as incorrigibles, they tend to have more control over their professional lives (they’re artisans and solopreneurs) and they don’t get stuck in the employee trap. A job is a job. They never let a boss intrude into their time with their kids. They’ll up and quit.

When my daughter was going to school, at every school function in those early grades, the dads who showed up were covered in tattoos piercings, and long hair/beards. Black t-shirt of metal bands and motorcycle boots. You saw them every time without fail. Both parents came. Wasn’t unusual to see some grandparent tag-a-longs either, equally decked out. The kids did not cling to one parent but moved freely amongst all the caregivers. Dad was smiling and happy to be their kid’s personal gym set.

They knew what was was going on at school. Both learning, and all the gossip. They knew who the other kids were and the teacher’s name. They were the dads either dropping off the kids in the morning or picking them up in the afternoon or both. They were always amongst the field trip parent volunteers.

They had a more intimate, involved and affectionate relationship with their children than even the sports dads much less the ones who never bothered to show up.

The teachers knew them on a first name basis as well. It was clear there was a well established rapport.

They weren’t always the best husbands. Clearly, growing up in a broken home meant they carried a lot of that baggage into adulthood. They struggled relating to their wives. That’s not all on them, because their wives had the same problems. Dysfunctional homes create dysfunctional adults. Sometimes they could work through their raising, together, sometimes not.

But they were there for their kids. No group is a monolith, of course. But what I saw was that THESE dads were there. Hands down more than all the other types of dads.

Yes, everyone can mark this day down in history. SC has defended men from being unfairly disparaged. 8:20 am MST, September 4, in the year of our Lord, 2020.