Billy Flynn goes viral with post about ex-wife's birthday
Keeping civil after a divorce comes easier to some than to others, but when there are children involved, it is undeniably important.
This is why one dad, Billy Flynn from Boston, is setting an example with a heartwarming post about his ex-wife's birthday that has since gone viral.
In a Facebook post that was shared on the Love What Matters page, Billy explains how every year he puts any differences and the past aside on his ex's birthday to give her a special day.
Paying it forward: Boston-based father-of-two Billy Flynn has gone viral after sharing the story behind why he helps his ex-wife celebrate her birthday
Putting it out there: In a post shared on Love What Matters, Billy explains
'I got up early and brought flowers and cards and a gift over for the kids to give her and helped them make her breakfast,' he writes.
'Per usual someone asked me why the hell I still do things for her all the time. This annoys me. So ima break it down for you all.'
Billy explains how in raising 'two little men', showing them how to treat their mom is incredibly important.
'The example I set for how I treat their mom is going to significantly shape how they see and treat women and affect their perception of relationships,' he says. 'I think even more so in my case because we are divorced.'
Snuggled up: Billy writes that he is raising 'two little men' and realizes that how he treats their mother will influence them greatly
Strike a pose: He is sharing his story to encourage other parents to 'rise above' their issues and set a good example
He goes on to address moms and dads who might not be setting such a good example for their kids, telling them to 'rise above' and show them how it's done.
'Raise good men. Raise strong women. Please,' he says. 'The world needs them, now more than ever.'
The post and the intentions behind it have proved wildly successful with users, being shared more than 140,000 times and gaining more than 500,000 likes.
Going forward: The dad tells other parents to raise good men and strong women because 'the world needs them, now more than ever'
Quality time: The post has since gone viral, with more than 140,000 shares on Facebook
It has also received thousands of comments, many of which come from other divorced parents of young children.
'I continued to buy my ex's (his father and step-father) gifts that my son could give them for special occasions because he should understand that they are good men even though things didn't work out between the adults,' wrote one mom.
Another added: 'When parents can't stay married, it's vital they give their kids permission and opportunity to love the other parent. Just because they're done with each other doesn't mean the kids are.'