single parents

this weekend i think i got insight into the causes of single parents. i'm a ma for my ward's pioneer trek this coming weekend. i've been paired with a guy in the ward to be pa to my family. i've tried to coordinate with him for the last couple of weeks and all i get it "i'm easy going, whatever is fine, sure, how about later...." that sort of stuff. then yesterday i called him and he was all, "i should quit, you deserve a better partner, you should just fire me...." that sort of stuff. so it hit me. he's kind of a bum pa, so he thinks it would be best if he disappeared. sure i'm doing all the work, and i CAN do all the work, but that doesn't mean i want to nor does it mean that it's the best option. i told him i totally needed him and he better be there. i think he will. but i have a feeling that's the sort of thing that makes for lots of single mothers in the world. men don't live up to their best potential, feel like failures, and opt to duck out instead of just giving what they can.