From “Please Abort” to “Father of the Century”

A Very Inspiring Transformation Story

There are personal growth journeys.
And then there are Oscar-worthy reinventions.

Mine involves a man who once suggested I terminate my pregnancy…
and now tells a judge he deserves full custody because he is, apparently, Father of the Year... Possibly the decade.

Character development is important.

Act One: The Pregnancy He Didn’t Want

When I was pregnant, there was no glowing pride. No excited planning. No “we’re in this together.”

There was a suggestion, though.

An abortion.

Not framed as concern. Not framed as fear.
Just… inconvenient timing.

Romantic.

Act Two: The Invisible Parent Era (Years 0–4)

Fast forward to actual parenthood.

For the first four years of our child’s life, his contribution could best be described as theoretical.

• No night feeds

• No sick days

• No school runs

• No emotional labour

• No remembering shoe sizes

• No knowing favourite foods

But plenty of opinions. Always plenty of opinions.

He was very committed to the idea of fatherhood.
Just not the practice.

Parenting, to him, appeared to be something that happened around him. Like weather.

Act Three: The Great Reinvention

Then came the separation.

And suddenly—miraculously—a man who had never actively parented was reborn as:

• Deeply involved

• Always present

• Historically essential

• The most stable parent to ever parent

This transformation occurred overnight. No training montage. No learning curve. Just vibes.

Apparently, he had been an exceptional father all along and everyone simply failed to notice.

Including the child.

Act Four: Courtroom Theatre

Now we arrive at court, where he explains—very seriously—that he should have full custody.

Because:

• He is devoted

• He is consistent

• He has always prioritised the child

Which is fascinating, given that for half a decade he didn’t prioritise basic childcare tasks.

But don’t worry. The past has been rewritten.

He has discovered a new parenting philosophy:

If you didn’t witness it, it didn’t happen.

A bold legal strategy.

Act Five: The Irony

Here’s the thing no one likes to say out loud:

Men who didn’t want the child.
Men who didn’t raise the child.
Men who didn’t show up for the child…

…do not suddenly become safe, attuned, child-centred parents because a court is watching.

What changes isn’t capacity.
It’s motivation.

And motivation rooted in control looks very different from motivation rooted in care.

A Note for the Audience

If you’re reading this and thinking:

• “Wow, that sounds familiar”

• “Why does this feel so common?”

• “Why does the system reward confidence over history?”

You’re not imagining it.

This isn’t a redemption arc.
It’s a rebrand.

And unlike movies, children live with the consequences long after the performance ends.

If this feels familiar, read this twice.

Once for the dark humour.
Once for the uncomfortable truth underneath it.

Being a parent isn’t something you become when it’s convenient.
And you don’t get to erase four years of absence with one well-rehearsed speech.

Father of the Century?
Let’s start with Father of the First Four Years.