The Journey of a Single Dad

House of Grace - Hope on the Horizon

The journey of being a single dad and having to "start over" with a baby in a new environment with new goals was scary to say the least. Nothing can prepare you for being a parent and even less for being a parent on your own.

I never dreamt that life would include the journey of being a single dad. I had always imagined that I would have kids once I got married, owned a home, and had a career. I moved to Vancouver Island to start a new life; I began my journey as a student in 2021 and I am now hoping to become a lawyer. I met Angela (not her real name) in 2022 in a university class and we went on a few dates. Shortly after that she was pregnant. We decided from there to try and make a go of our relationship for the sake of the baby who would arrive in 9 months. We put a home together and did our best. Our son was born and from there I was even more motivated to continue with my schooling to give him the best life possible. Unfortunately my relationship with Angela did not work out, we had different values but we both wanted the best for our son.

The journey of being a single dad and having to "start over" with a baby in a new environment with new goals was scary to say the least. Nothing can prepare you for being a parent and even less for being a parent on your own.

Life also had its own challenges, my sister passed away earlier in the year and from there I decided that I needed to work on myself - it all comes back now to being a parent for my son, he deserves a dad who can be whole and present for him.

During this time I was worried about having to drop school in order to cope and provide all that my baby needed. This was a great concern to me - thankfully I have a good friend who I was talking to about my situation and she recommended that I reach out to the House of Grace Pregnancy Centre. They would be able to help with the things I needed. At first I was hesitant - did I really want others to know about the situation I was in and did I really want to speak with someone I didn’t know and even get things for free? I was so scared that I would have to leave school to work full-time so I decided to give them a call. When I arrived at the House of Grace I was nervous, but it was not long after that, I was greeted by caring and warm people who welcomed me and assured me that it was all going to be OK.

I left there that day, not only with every practical need I could think of but with a sense of “this is going to be ok”. I’m not sure exactly what the future will hold, but I am sure that there is HOPE. I am so grateful for the House of Grace giving me the things I needed to continue to give my son the best life possible and for their support for me as a dad who is able to be the best dad possible for my son.

At House of Grace Pregnancy Centre, this dad and others are able to receive God's love and support for them in order that they would have what they need for their future. Men, women, and families are able to receive the ability to make healthy choices for their future. We ensure that individuals have access to practical support, compassionate care, accurate information on all pregnancy options, and a safe place to make an informed pregnancy decision.