Adult role models play a major role in the lives of young people as they experience special moments in the process of growing up. Our teen years are filled with many “firsts,” such as the first day of high school, first periods, first heartbreaks, or even just simple moments where we seek fatherly guidance.
In light of Father’s Day Weekend, here at Saalt, we asked our community to share some of their most influential or special memories with their fathers. Happy Father’s Day!
Here are some of our favorite stories of dads breaking stigmas to support their children through their periods:
“I played several sports growing up--volleyball, soccer, tennis-- and had to travel quite a bit for tournaments. My dad always made sure that there was a supply of tampons/pads/pantyliners that the whole team had access to. He never wanted anyone to sit out or not feel ready for game day. My dad worked in women's health for many years and saw the direct link between accessible period care and quality of life. This experience lit a fire within him to make sure his daughters and our friends never felt held back from activities we would like to participate in when on our period.” - Kate, Saalt Team Member
“My very first period my mom did not have any pads to give me. I had softball practice to go to that my dad was going to take me to. My dad and I stopped at the pharmacy beforehand to pick some up. As I looked around the big, bulky pads looked so intimidating! I picked up a tiny pack of panty liners. My dad looked at me and said, "Are you sure those are what you need?" Well not knowing how a flow worked and how much I would bleed I quickly figured out that he was right, liners weren't enough. Lol” - Nallely, Anaheim, Saalt Community
And here are some touching stories about how our fathers inspire and encourage us to thrive:
“As a father of five girls in a modern world where girls are often underestimated and pushed down, I'm always looking at how to build an intrinsic belief that they can do anything. For a practical everyday approach, I've never had to look much further than my own father-in-law, Rick Despain, Dad to our CEO, Cherie Hoeger. Every time she walks into a room, he has some sort of praise to share with her: how talented she is, how beautiful she is, how happy he feels just at seeing her, or how proud he is of what she's done. He does the same thing with our girls, his granddaughters, and there is instant self-worth created in every comment. Thanks Grandpa Rick, for your kindness and inspiration to our girls. Thanks for filling their hearts with joy and the belief that they can conquer the world; they sure have conquered my heart!” - Jon, Saalt co-founder
“My family went marlin fishing in The Sea of Cortez! My dad and I took turns reeling in a 100 lb marlin for 45 mins and it was an experience I will never forget!” - Delaney, Kansas, Saalt Community
“When I was in college, I interned at the Idaho State Office where my dad worked. We weren't in the same department, but we went on daily lunch walks and it was amazing. He was someone to talk to about school, life, boys, my internship, future career, etc. He's now retired and I am well into my career but still appreciate and look back all the time on our daily walks and lunch time together!” - Jessie, Saalt Team Member
We acknowledge that parental relationships like these are special and not universal. If you are missing your father today, if another guardian stepped into a paternal role, if you are striving to become a parent, or if you have a strained relationship with your father figure, we’re sending you all of our love.
