We talk a lot about single mums. For good reason. Women still make up the majority of single-parent households, and many are carrying a huge share of the emotional, financial and practical load.

But single dads are part of this picture too.

They’re at the school gates, doing the food shops, worrying about their kids at 2am, trying to work out packed lunches and PE kits and whether they’re getting any of it right. And yet, their experiences often sit slightly to the side of the wider conversation.

So this isn’t about comparison. It’s not about who has it harder, or who deserves more recognition. It’s simply about widening the lens, and taking a moment to listen to what single dads themselves say they wish people understood.

Because when we make space for more voices, the whole community gets stronger.

‘I’m not helping – I’m parenting’

One of the most common frustrations is the language people use.

Single dads talk about being praised for things that are, in reality, just everyday parenting. Taking their child to the park. Doing the school run. Cooking dinner. Ordinary, necessary, sometimes exhausting tasks that don’t feel particularly remarkable when you’re the one doing them every day.

And yet, the tone can often be one of surprise.

Comments like “you’re such a great dad” or “it’s amazing how hands-on you are” are usually well meant. But they can carry an underlying assumption that this level of involvement is unusual, or above and beyond.

For many single dads, that doesn’t feel like recognition. It feels like a reminder that expectations are still uneven.

They’re not helping. They’re parenting.

‘It can be surprisingly lonely’

Loneliness is something we talk about more openly in recent years, but it still tends to be framed in a particular way when it comes to parenting.

Single mums often have access, at least in theory, to established networks – school gate chats, mum groups, WhatsApp threads, informal support systems that grow over time. Not all of these spaces feel welcoming or easy, of course, but they exist.

For single dads, those networks can be harder to find.

Some describe feeling like outsiders in environments that are implicitly designed for mothers. Turning up to a toddler group and being the only man in the room. Standing slightly apart at birthday parties or pick-ups, unsure where to place themselves. Wanting connection, but not always knowing how to access it.

It’s not always an overt exclusion. Often it’s quieter than that. A sense of not quite fitting, of being slightly out of step.

And over time, that can become isolating.

‘People assume there’s a story’

Another theme that comes up again and again is the way people try to fill in the gaps.

If you’re a single dad, there must be a reason. A story. Something dramatic or unusual that explains how you got here.

Sometimes that assumption casts dads as heroes. Sometimes it leans in the opposite direction, implying absence, conflict or failure elsewhere. Either way, it can feel reductive.

Not every situation is complex or contentious. Not every single parent is navigating a high-conflict breakup or a dramatic backstory. Many are simply co-parenting, or have arrived at their circumstances through a series of ordinary, if difficult, life events.

What single dads often want is the same thing many single parents want: to be seen as individuals, not as a narrative.

‘I worry about my kids just as much as any parent’

There’s also a quieter assumption that can sit underneath perceptions of single dads – that they are somehow less emotionally involved.

That they’re more practical than nurturing. More focused on logistics than feelings.

In reality, the emotional load is just as present.

Single dads talk about the same late-night worries. The same second-guessing. The same desire to get things right, even when they’re not sure what “right” looks like. They carry concerns about their children’s wellbeing, their friendships, their confidence, their future.

The difference is often in how that concern is expressed, or how comfortable people feel acknowledging it.

When we make space for those conversations, it becomes clear that the emotional experience of parenting isn’t divided along gender lines in the way we might assume.

‘Support isn’t always designed with me in mind’

Perhaps the most practical issue is access to support.

From the language used in online communities to the imagery in resources and campaigns, much of the single-parent space is still geared, understandably, towards mums. But that can leave dads unsure whether those spaces are for them.

It might be something as small as the way a post is worded, or as broad as the overall tone of a platform. Over time, those signals add up.

For single dads looking for connection, advice or simply reassurance, that can create an additional barrier at the point they might most need support.

Which is why inclusive spaces like the Frolo community matter. Dads aren't 'extras' with Frolo, they're as much a part of the community as anybody. If you'd like a little more specific support, you can also access dads only spaces like the Frolo Dads Group Chat.

Not in a performative sense, or as a tick-box exercise, but in a genuine, practical way. Spaces where people can show up as they are, without feeling like they’re the exception.

Making space for everyone

At its heart, single parenting isn’t one experience. It’s a collection of many different lives, shaped by different circumstances, challenges and strengths.

Listening to single dads doesn’t take anything away from single mums. It simply adds more depth to the conversation.

Because whether you’re a mum, a dad, or somewhere in between, the core of it is often the same. You’re doing your best. You’re figuring things out as you go. And some days are harder than others.

That’s exactly why community matters.

At Frolo, we’re here for all single parents. However your family looks, whatever your situation, there’s space for you.

👉 Download the Frolo app to connect with other single parents who understand what it’s really like, and to find support that feels right for you.

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