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Fatherhood Is Showing Up: PapPap’s Kinship Care Journey
Each month, A Second Chance, Inc. (ASCI) amplifies the voices of our kinship families. As an agency committed to establishing safe, secure, and nurturing environments for children entrusted to relatives or close family friends – also known as kinship care – we recognize the importance of learning from the lived experiences of caregivers, birth parents, and children. This month, we had the privilege of speaking with PapPap, whose journey is a powerful reflection of fatherhood in action and the lasting impact of stepping into a child’s life with love, guidance, and support.
Fatherhood Defined by Presence and Consistency
Fatherhood is often defined by everyday moments such as showing up, offering guidance, teaching life lessons, and being a consistent source of support. For PapPap, those moments became the foundation of his caregiving journey and the reason two young boys came to see him as much more than a caregiver.
Family means everything to me. I have always been good with children, so I always felt that I had to help others. Help children, or just anyone that needed help.
PapPap
Stepping Into a Father Figure Role
When he welcomed the boys into his home, PapPap embraced the opportunity to be the kind of positive male role model every child deserves. Drawing from the values his own parents instilled in him, he focused on teaching respect, responsibility, and the importance of making good choices. He understood that fatherhood is about more than providing a place to live; it is about being present, offering guidance, setting expectations, and helping young people build confidence in themselves.
Through everyday conversations, shared experiences, and leading by example, PapPap worked to show the boys what it means to be accountable, hardworking, and respectful. His goal was not only to care for them in the moment but to equip them with the skills and values they could carry with them for the rest of their lives.
Growing up with my mom and dad, they raised me to be the man that I am kind of took over and helped me show the boys how to be young, mature and respectful men.
PapPap
Teaching Life Lessons Through Everyday Work
As a carpenter, PapPap found meaningful ways to teach lessons that extended far beyond the job site. He invited the boys to work alongside him, helping them understand the value of hard work and self-sufficiency. He also made it a priority to teach character, using everyday moments on the job to reinforce discipline, patience, and pride in doing things the right way.
Whether it was learning how to use tools safely, complete a task from start to finish, or take responsibility for their work, PapPap turned each experience into a lesson in life and manhood, showing them that success is built one decision, one effort, and one day at a time.
Respect, Responsibility, and Becoming a Father Figure
I taught them respect. You always respect your elders. I taught them how to work and be mature, respectful young adults. They both told me they looked at me as a father figure.
PapPap
Those lessons left a lasting impression, but one moment stands out above all others. For PapPap, that was a powerful reminder that fatherhood is not simply about biology. It is about being present, building trust, and helping young people navigate life with confidence and support.
Supported in the Work of Caregiving
While PapPap was helping shape the lives of the boys in his care, ASCI was helping support him in his role as a caregiver and father figure. At ASCI, we recognize that children need strong, caring adults in their lives and that caregivers, especially male caregivers and father figures. need support, resources, and encouragement to succeed. Through kinship care services, caregiver support, resource coordination, and ongoing guidance, ASCI works to ensure caregivers have what they need to provide stable, nurturing homes for children. For PapPap, that support was evident from the beginning.
Everything has been really well with them. I had no problems working with ASCI. If I had any questions, they would answer me right away.
PapPap
That support allowed PapPap to focus on what mattered most: being a steady and positive presence in the boys’ lives.
Growth on Both Sides of Caregiving
Through resources, guidance, and ongoing encouragement, ASCI helped strengthen his ability to care for the children who depended on him, ensuring he was not walking the journey alone.
With that foundation in place, PapPap was able to fully step into his role as a father figure with confidence and consistency. In doing so, he began to realize that caregiving wasn’t only shaping the boys’ futures; it was also shaping his own as well.
Raising kids that aren’t mine have taught me a lot. I learned a lot about myself just from raising them. They helped me grow also.
PapPap
Advice for Future Father Figures
As we celebrate fatherhood, PapPap’s story is a reminder that some of the most impactful fathers are the ones who choose to step up when children need them most. Through his mentorship, patience, and dedication, he provided the boys in his care with guidance, stability, and the example of what it means to be a responsible man.
For men who may be considering becoming caregivers, PapPap offers simple but powerful advice:
There are kids out there that need father figures. Go ahead and do it. I enjoyed it. I had a lot of fun doing it. I would do it again. There’s a lot of boys and young men out there that need that father figure and need that help.
PapPap
Fatherhood in Action
At A Second Chance, Inc., stories like PapPap’s reinforce the importance of supporting fathers, father figures, and male caregivers. When men are empowered to step into these roles, and when they have the resources and support to succeed, children gain mentors, advocates, and role models who can help shape their futures for years to come.
Fatherhood is more than a title. It is a commitment to showing up, leading by example, and making a difference in a child’s life, one day at a time.
For more caregiver journey stories and resources for caregivers, visit our Resources page.