I came across a short reel the other day. It was simple. Just a reminder for parents who do everything by themselves. No extended family nearby. No regular babysitter. No weekend breaks. Just you and your small family trying to make it work.
And I paused.
Because that reel felt personal.
Living abroad changes how you parent. Back home, you have cousins, titos, titas, grandparents. There’s always someone who can carry the baby for five minutes while you breathe. Here in the UK, it’s different. It’s just us.
If one of us is tired, we still have to show up. If work is stressful, parenting does not pause. If the toddler has a meltdown, there is no “pass muna.” You handle it.
There are nights when I’m exhausted from work, but bedtime still needs to happen. Stories still need to be read. Questions still need to be answered. And even when I feel drained, I remind myself, this is the season we are in.
Sometimes I wonder if I’m doing enough.
Am I patient enough?
Am I present enough?
Am I giving my family the best version of me?
The reel reminded me that showing up every day already counts. Packing lunch. Cleaning up spilled milk. Saying sorry when I lose patience. Trying again the next day.
We don’t have family nearby. We don’t have extra help. But we have commitment. We have love. And we have each other.
Parenting abroad is not glamorous. It’s quiet sacrifices. It’s budgeting carefully. It’s balancing work pressure with toddler energy. It’s choosing to stay strong even when you feel small.
If you are a parent reading this and you feel like you’re carrying a lot, I see you. If you are working full-time and parenting full-time with no backup, I understand you. If you sometimes feel alone in it, you’re not the only one.
We may not have the village physically around us. But we build our own small circle at home. And that is enough.
Some days are heavy. Some days are beautiful. Most days are both.
But we keep going.
– Until then, love you bye! And that’s #Dadbuhay.
DadBuhay 
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