“I try to find the positive in every situation,” said Henry Peabody, our Lead Dad of the Week from Marblehead, Mass.
The sentiment has served Henry, a divorced father of two, well over the past four years. Shortly into the start of Covid, he got divorced and had to find a house sight unseen to be close to his now ex-wife and kids. They were 6 and 8 at the time and without childcare he had to navigate working in financial services with caring for his children. More recently, his father passed away. And his dog died. At the end of the year, he left his job. His north star has remained his kids.
“So my marriage didn’t work – that was a loss of an identity, and it was challenging. But I think we’re both better parents than we were before,” he said. “I left my job, but I don’t think it was the right job for me. I think I’ll find a better outcome.
“Even when I lost my father, I was able to share emotions and feelings with him that I wouldn’t have been able to share before. And when we lost our dog, my kids showed amazing strength and fortitude in that situation.
“The positive is I get to have the opportunity to shape my children and give them opportunities I would not have been able to had I been the 10 percent father. I can leave a bigger mark on their life than I would have otherwise.”
That’s not to say it’s been easy. It’s been a hard road to walk for Henry, but he’s embraced the changes that have led him to be a Lead Dad.
“I’ve learned a lot about myself, both positive and negative,” he said. “I’ve learned a lot about my ability to be a parent – to deliver messages, to be empathetic, to find opportunities to teach. This experience has also shown be the importance of a team – whether that’s a support system at home or in a professional setting.”
Welcome, Henry, to The Company of Dads. May all of our glasses be half full.
