Part 2: Lead with One Hand, Hold with the Other – Carrying the Full Load

Part 2: Lead with One Hand, Hold with the Other – Carrying the Full Load

Series: The Unbreakable Father – A WarDad Blog Series for Single Dads

They don’t tell you how heavy it gets.

The logistics.
The emotions.
The bills.
The bedtime questions.
The lonely silence after the door finally shuts.

Being a single dad isn’t just about being present.
It’s about being everything—all at once.

⚔️ The Load Doesn’t Get Lighter—You Get Stronger

You’re not just the provider now.
You’re the comforter.
The meal planner.
The rule maker.
The hug giver.
The cleaner.
The coach.
The one who disciplines and encourages—sometimes in the same breath.

It’s hard.
And sometimes it feels unfair.
Because you weren’t meant to carry it all alone.

But here you are.
Doing it.
Leading with one hand, holding your child’s world together with the other.

And that… is sacred work.

🛡️ The Balance of Warrior and Nurturer

Some days you lead with strength:

• Structure.
• Routine.
• Boundaries.
• Grit.

Other days, you lead with softness:

• Listening.
• Slowing down.
• Sitting beside them in silence.
• Letting them see your heart, not just your toughness.

You’re not just raising a child.
You’re raising a human being who will one day remember how you handled pressure.
How you stayed calm when you were exhausted.
How you showed up when no one else did.

You are teaching resilience in real time.

🔥 Don’t Speak Poison, Even When You’re Bleeding

It would be easy to lash out.
To vent your anger.
To talk badly about the one who left or isn’t stepping up.

But you won’t.
Because you’re a builder, not a destroyer.

You show restraint—not because the pain isn’t real… but because your child’s soul is.

Their emotional foundation is being laid through your discipline.
Your choices. Your tone. Your example.

💥 Final Word: You Are the Fire and the Foundation

You’re leading in one of the hardest roles a man can hold.
And you’re doing it while carrying more than most will ever see.

No applause.
No break.
No “good job” text at the end of the day.

But what you’re building will outlive the exhaustion.

One day, they’ll say:
“He was tired. But he never made me feel like a burden.”
“He was hurting. But he never made me carry his pain.”

That’s the mark of a warrior father.
That’s the legacy of a man who led with both hands—even when one was shaking.

Hold the line.
More to come.

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👕 Wear the fire. Carry the mission. → war-dad.com

By Ash Sarracossa