Single Dad Dons Pink Dress So Sons Don’t Feel Left Out At School’s Mother's Day Event

May 18, 2023 by apost team

One man has upped the ante for single dads everywhere when he stepped into the role of mom – and a stunningly well-fitted dress – for a day.

In Thailand, Mother’s Day is celebrated on August 12 each year, and schools typically mark the day by hosting a ceremony. This event sees the pupils’ mothers join them in school. There, the children show their love and respect for their moms by kneeling at their feet and bestowing them flowers and gifts.

However, as Mother’s Day was approaching in 2018, one single dad from Kanchanaburi named Chatchai "Sam" Panuthai, 32, found himself in a conundrum. He had been divorced from his wife for three years, after which she had moved to Europe, leaving their two sons – Ozone Panuthai, 5, and Imsome Panuthai, 3 – in his care. Sam loved his sons and wanted anything but to see them feeling left out of the school’s festivities. So Sam came up with a plan. 

When the big day rolled around, Sam appeared at the school in a knee-length, pink lace dress with a bow in his hair in order to play mother for the day to his young sons. The other moms were thrilled by Sam’s commitment to and love for his kids, and many took videos and photos of his extra special gesture.

In one video, Sam was seen sitting in a row with all the other moms as their children approached them one by one. After one of his sons gave him a garland of flowers, knelt before him and gave thanks, Sam responded by giving him a tender kiss on the forehead. 

Kornpat Ae Sukhom, a family friend of Sam’s who filmed the exchange, later told Inside Edition the single dad was motivated by a simple desire to see his children happy.

“He wanted the children not to feel left out because their mother had left them,” Ae Sukhom, who often helps Sam look after the kids, said.

She also spoke to BuzzFeed News and told the outlet that seeing Sam all dressed up at the school was quite a sight to behold.

“Everyone enjoyed it and all laughed and took photos with him. His two sons weren’t quite sure what was going on and why Dad was wearing a dress,” she recounted.

Since Sukhom uploaded the video and photos of Sam at the school on Facebook, it has gone viral, racking up more than 50,000 shares. Users were blown away by Sam’s beautiful gesture for his sons and took to the comments to air their appreciation of his efforts.

“How many dads will love you like this???” a comment read, according to the outlet, while another emotional user wrote, “Why am I crying?”

Other users simply couldn’t get enough of the heartwarming images.

“This is so cute. I love it,” one comment read while another user said, “So cute.”

While the images of Sam dressed as mommy might raise a few eyebrows, for the mechanic, the only thing that mattered was for his children to feel loved.

“'I'm a single dad so I just wanted to make sure that my two sons were happy,” he told Daily Mail. He added: “I was a bit embarrassed, but it meant that they could take part like their classmates.”

apost.com

What are your thoughts on this father's gesture for his sons? Would you ever consider doing the same? If you liked this story, be sure to pass this along to your loved ones who would love to hear about it as well.