Daddies & Dads | Craig & Joe

In our new monthly feature, Daddies & Dads, Tom and I introduce you to fellow LGBTQ+ daddies and dads and mummies and mums at various stages in the family planning process.

If you would like to share your story with our readers, please get in touch via email at daddy@daddyanddad.co.uk.

Craig & Joe

Future dads Craig and Joe

South Yorkshire-based young couple Craig and Joe are in the process of adopting through their local authority. Here, we talk about their plans and how the process has been so far...

Tell us a little about yourselves

I'm Craig - I'm 28 years old and Joe will be 28 on the 14th of next month - I'd better start present shopping! Me and Joe have been together for almost five years now. We love spending time with friends and family on a weekend or just taking little day trips out or a steady walk out (maybe the odd gin!).

What inspired you to become parents?

Even before me and Joe had met each other we both wanted to be parents. Meeting one another just confirmed how much we both wanted this together. For us, adoption was the best option because it will give a child a better, loving life.

We have both seen first-hand the effects that this can have on a child through one of our family members having bad life choices. This has made us even more passionate to adopt! We cannot wait to get the missing piece to our jigsaw.

What stage of the adoption process are you currently negotiating?

We are currently just completing the end of stage one. We have our three day adoption course next week! We are both excited to meet other adopters and to learn more about the whole process.

So far the the whole experience has been slightly nerve racking but exciting - social workers aren't as scary as they seem! We're looking forward to the path ahead.

What 'Dad names' do you think you might call yourselves when your little offspring arrive?

Joe will 100% be Daddy - the parent that's just as daft as the kids and gives into anything they want! I will be Dad - the parent that has to say no - more to Joe than the kids!

Tom and I love your new blog, Mush & Bean Daddies. What are your goals for the blog?

Thank you! The plan for our blog is to simply help others that are on the same path as us; hopefully to reach out to people that are struggling to take that step towards adoption. We invite our readers to walk our path to being daddies with us.

Where can you see yourselves in five and ten years' time?

We would like to think that in five to ten years' time we will be picking our child (or children) up from school and having a complete family unit. We'll be enjoying family days out together, and who knows... maybe finally a wedding! Also maybe a dog (or a small zoo) if I can persuade Joe!

Find Craig and Joe's marvellous blog, Mush & Bean Daddies by clicking here - link opens in a new tab.