Having a loving family is a blessing and families come in many forms: mum, dad and two kids; single parent with their little one; pets that wait for you to return; best friends who’ve always got your back. One thing that unites them is love, care and, perhaps, silly fights over who will take the trash out. Family inspires you to be better every day and this Reddit user is a great example of that.

More info: Reddit

This Reddit user shared his happiness over his little family that he accidentally created after helping out his best friend

Image credits: Alberto Casetta (not the actual photo)

OP stepped up to help his childhood best friend who became a single mom at 19 years old. Slowly, they grew closer and became a family

Image credits: Daiga Ellaby (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Juliane Lieberman (not the actual photo)

Image credits: DayTimeCrack

Anyone can make a baby, but it takes a strong and loving person to become a good parent

Breaking negative cycles is no easy job – it requires a considerable amount of willpower to be able to choose to live a better life every day. The OP describes his childhood as ‘rough’ – what hides behind that word is only known to people who experienced the same. But further reading shows his perseverance and personal growth as he is determined to provide for his little family and be there for them.

No child should be abandoned by their father. It creates a sense of insecurity and diminishes self-worth because, well, if my own father didn’t want me, why would anyone? But this wound gets healed by heroes who step in and every day remind the child that they are choosing to be their dad, for better or worse. Those heroes wake up at night when the child is ill, they are the loudest cheerleaders at any event and brag to other dads, saying ‘I’ve got the best kid in the world.’

They teach the best qualities any human can have: loyalty, love, responsibility. And one day, when the child is older, they’ll sit and think ‘I must really be the best kid in the world because this cool guy chose to be my dad.’ And OP’s daughter will have that blessing when she is older. She deserves it – every kid does.

We interviewed a resident doctor, Snaige Šleiniūtė, specialising in child psychiatry and she highlighted the importance of a father figure: “Having a stable relationship with the father can help the child to learn to regulate their emotions better. It is observed that girls who have a close relationship with dad are at a lesser risk of early sexual experiences and teen pregnancy.” She also mentioned that fathers are important at “every stage of child development.”

She added “Having a family with involved parents give kids a massive boost and better opportunities to succeed in life.” I guess the only downside of having a dad is their horrible dad jokes.

Image credits: Elina Fairytale (not the actual photo)

The importance of a father is often disregarded. However, this shouldn’t be the case. According to Psychology Today, “children with supportive fathers have higher levels of social competence and better peer relationships.” Naturally, when a child is safe and secure, they are more eager to explore the world and form great relationships, because the first ones with mum and dad were such a success. And if the world gets dark at some point, they will always be able to find a haven in dad’s strong arms. Well done to those fathers who are there for their kids – you definitely deserve that mug with #1 DAD on it.

OP finishes his story by saying he burst into tears of happiness after realisation of having a family hit him hard. “There isn’t a thing in this world I wouldn’t do for those two,” he writes. So, if you ever find yourself in a dark place, think about this story. Embrace the relationships that blossom unexpectedly, open your heart to new people and remember that love, not biology, creates the most beautiful bonds in our lives.

What do you think of this story? Do you have a special someone that accidentally (or not) became your family? Share your story in the comments bellow!

People in the comments showered OP in love and support

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