Man's life-changing realization about his dad after becoming a father himself resonates with many

Motherhood is one of the hardest, most demanding, and underappreciated jobs. Moms juggle endless responsibilities day and night, often alone and with little help from dads. The 24/7 nature of parenting can be overwhelming, emotionally draining, and physically exhausting. Content creator Dillion Andrew—known as @dillon.linen on TikTok—shared how becoming a father himself gave him a new perspective on these challenges. In a now-viral video, Andrew explained how his dad used "long hours" at work as an excuse to avoid parenting duties.

As a child, Andrew saw his father as a "great family sacrificer," working long hours to provide for the family. But his perspective shifted after he became a dad. "I used to think my dad was this great family sacrificer, waking up at 4 a.m. and not coming home till 7:30 p.m., grinding for his family, rough hands and all. And then you become a dad yourself," he said. He went on to compare his father’s 15-hour workdays, noting they were easier than even one day in a mother’s life. "You grow up and realize this dude was just running away for like 15 hours a day," Andrew added. 

He further emphasized the difference between managing children and working with adults who don’t require constant attention. "You just leave and go hang out with people who know how to use the restroom, who don't s**t their pants every couple hours and scream at you. Throw toys everywhere, pick them up, throw them back again. And now throwing them is the game," Andrew shared. He also revealed how just 1.5 days at home with his kids over Thanksgiving left him exhausted. According to Andrew, earning a million dollars is a piece of cake compared to being a "mother for like 72 hours straight."

The video received an overwhelming response, with many praising Andrew for acknowledging the hard work and dedication of mothers. @brea_yourself commented, "Thank you for acknowledging this! Your mother did right by you." @muxpux1 wrote, "My mom woke up at 6 a.m. yesterday and cooked until the family all sat down. Dad? Sat on the couch and watched football." @catcacti added, "I don't have children but this makes so much sense. The men with children that I work with are always finding a reason to stay later without getting any actual work done."

Meanwhile, @loveandleafboutique shared her own experience, stating, "My ex would get off work at 5 p.m. and wouldn't get home until 8 p.m. every night. Weekends were a similar thing. He was running away from the responsibilities of being a parent." @2189mu commented, "That was my dad. Hardly ever saw him. My mom dealt with us all the time nonstop. Definitely did a number on her. A stay-at-home mom is the hardest job out there." @barbie_marleyyy, an Army veteran commented, "I was in the Army for 5 years and got medically discharged. I was a stay-at-home mom for 2 years and I'd choose to be back in the Army before stay-at-home mom." 

You can follow Dillion Andrew (@dillon.linen) on TikTok for more such parenting content.