Furious mother blasts nursery after they renamed ‘Father’s Day’ as ‘Special’s Day’

A furious mother has blasted her three-year-old toddler’s nursery for teaching that ‘men don’t matter’ after they renamed ‘Father’s Day’ as ‘Special’s Day’. 

Karla Gardner’s daughter Daisy handed a handmade collage to her ahead of Father’s Day on Sunday, but Karla was shocked when she saw ‘Father’ had been replaced.

The 36-year-old praised her three-year-old for the painting she made for dad Ed Odametey, 40, but claims she was secretly furious by the ‘bizarre’ change, as she felt it taught Daisy that ‘men don’t matter’.

The stay-at-home mum posted the image on a Facebook group, attracting more than 700 comments in the first half an hour, with the picture eventually being taken down by the group’s admin for causing too much controversy.

Karla, from Islington, London, said: ‘When I read ‘Happy Special’s Day’ it angered me. I loved to see the picture and was smiling, but when [Daisy] wasn’t looking, it angered me. 

A furious mother has blasted her three-year-old toddler’s nursery for teaching that ‘men don’t matter’ after they renamed ‘Father’s Day’ as ‘Special’s Day’. Karla Gardner’s (left) daughter Daisy (right) handed a handmade collage to her ahead of Father’s Day on Sunday, but Karla’s was shocked when she saw ‘Father’ had been replaced

‘Her dad’s in her life. I don’t want her being taught that Daddy isn’t as important as me. Father’s Day was just brushed aside.

‘I get that not everyone has their dad in their life, but my child does. You’re singling out those who have fathers in their life.

‘I find it bizarre that all of a sudden men don’t matter.’

After returning home, Karla decided to research where Father’s Day and Mother’s Day came from, realising the first parent-inspired day was for men.

She has now urged nurseries to look at other ways to be inclusive, instead of ‘belittling the man’ in many children’s lives.

Karla said: ‘When I picked her up in the afternoon, I had no idea they were doing Father’s Day cards, she just came out with it.

‘When I looked at it and it said Happy Special’s Day, it angered me.

‘I was told [by the nursery] that it was not fair for children without dads to make Father’s Day cards. Last year she did a Father’s Day card, what’s new this year?

‘For Mother’s Day, I got a card which had photos of her inside it and it said clearly on it ‘Happy Mother’s Day’. A big fuss was made of it.

Gardener said she praised her three-year-old for the painting she made for dad Ed Odametey, 40 (pictured left), but claims she was secretly furious by the ‘bizarre’ change, as she felt it taught Daisy that ‘men don’t matter’

Karla, from Islington, London, said: ‘When I read ‘Happy Special’s Day’ it angered me. I loved to see the picture and was smiling, but when [Daisy] wasn’t looking, it angered me

‘As a three-year-old, I might think ‘why is it wrong to have a dad in my life? Why’s it not being recognised?’

‘You’re belittling the man. He’s doing just as much of a job as the woman does.

‘I did a bit of research on where Mother’s Day and Father’s Day originated from.

‘Mother’s Day was invented in 1917 by a women’s group to promote women’s rights, while Father’s Day was invented in 1910 to recognise a man who raised his five children as a single father.

‘I come from a family where I’m fortunate to have my mum and dad. My siblings are all still married.

‘Not all children don’t have their dad. Some of those children whose dad doesn’t live with them, they still have a relationship with them.

‘I know people who make Father’s Day cards and give it to their granddad or uncle. This is just shutting them out.

‘We’ll be making another card. We will do one for grandad as well.’

After posting the image on Facebook, the post attracted more than 700 comments and almost 800 reactions.

The stay-at-home mum posted the image on Facebook, attracting more than 700 comments in the first half an hour (pictured), with the picture eventually being taken down by the group’s admin for causing too much controversy 

Karla said: ‘I didn’t expect it to get that bizarre. I got a lot of people putting comments saying ‘just do your own cards at home’, but this is something they’ve done at school on their own. It’s a little bit more special.

‘There were over 700 comments within the first half an hour. Admin had to turn off comments.

‘There were a lot of mixed comments.

‘Some comments were about a lot of children not living with their dad and maybe don’t want to be reminded of Father’s Day, but a lot of children don’t live with their mother.

‘Ed’s seen the card and he’s relaxed. He said ‘it’s cool with me because mother’s do more’.

‘I had a debate with him arguing his case. He said ‘she’s made me a picture and that’s good enough’.’

The handmade card split opinion, with one woman claiming it was part of a ‘sick agenda’, while others urged people to be more compassionate.

‘When I looked at it and it said Happy Special’s Day, it angered me,’ Gardner said. ‘I was told [by the nursery] that it was not fair for children without dads to make Father’s Day cards. Last year she did a Father’s Day card, what’s new this year?’ Pictured: Ms Gardner with Daisy’s father Ed Odametey

Pictured: Daisy with her father Ed Odametey. Ms Gardner has now urged nurseries to look at other ways to be inclusive, instead of ‘belittling the man’ in many children’s lives

One social media user said: ‘I’m saddened by how many people on this thread lack the compassion or imagination to understand what it must be like to be a child without a father when everyone is celebrating their dads.

‘This isn’t the only way to deal with Father’s Day – and certainly the same approach could be taken with Mother’s Day.

‘But to be so dismissive or angry at teachers trying to be considerate and inclusive of children seems bizarre to me.’

Another Facebook user said: ‘Can’t believe some people can be so heartless just because they have the perfect set up.’

While one commenter argued said: ‘Oh stop it, that’s absolutely ridiculous. Some might not have father figures but that’s not the fault of those that do, or the fathers that do bother.

‘That world’s gone nuts.’

Another said: ‘Sadly part of a sick agenda.’