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Single Dad Dresses Up as a Mom So His Daughter Doesn’t Feel Left Out at Mother’s Day Event

By Regina Sienra on August 17, 2023

Dad dresses up as a mom for Mother's day event and hugs daughter

Photo: Screenshot from TikTok

As cheerful as Mother’s Day events are, they can also make those without a mom present feel left out. Determined to not let his daughter miss out on the celebrations, a loving single dad named Joe Lookphonbodee had an idea. If a mom was needed, he would simply turn into one. So he got a wig and a dress and showed up to his adopted kid's Mother's Day school get-together, much to her delight.

In Thailand, where Lookphonbodee lives, Mother's Day is celebrated on August 12. On this day, local schools hold special ceremonies where students kneel before their moms and give them jasmine flowers. The proud dad, also known as “Teacher Joe,” works as a P.E. instructor in the same school his daughter, Nong Cream, attends. “When the school organizes Mother’s Day activities, I don’t want my child to have an inferiority complex,” Joe told Bangkok Biz News. “Personally, I’m not ashamed because I love my child.”

Lookphonbodee posted a video of the Mother's Day event. In it, he is dressed in a gingham dress and wears a long wig with bangs. He is then greeted with a big hug by his daughter, who beams with joy as she is cradled by her dad. The dad captioned the video, “'Mom' I can be for you, hahaha,” and if the video is any indication, he certainly delivered.

Thanks to Lookphonbodee's efforts, what could have been a difficult day, ended up being a happy memory that they'll both cherish forever. “I don’t feel embarrassed. This year’s Mother’s Day, I want to say I love my father,” Nong Cream said. “Thank you, Dad, for raising me and making me happy.”