As I noted several times throughout the story, it's ideal for all kids to have a warm and close relationship with both parents, but if for whatever reason, life either did not provide you with a dad (lesbian parents) or yours died or left, it's not the automatic death of any possibility of a healthy or successful life that it's so often painted to be.

I'm glad your dad taught you things, but I'm about to publish another story about my husband who learned absolutely nothing from his dad. And if your dad hadn't been there, either your mom would have stepped up or you would have learned that stuff on your own as my husband did. Children need love, stability, and basic economic security in order to thrive and there's no one ideal configuration for that - it can happen all sorts of ways.