Valenstein & Fatt's Stevie Rowing-Parker Honours Single Mums In Unusual Greetings Card Range

Sevie Rowing-Parker, a copywriter at Valenstein & Fatt, has launched his own range of Father’s Day cards with a difference – they recognise the feats of single mothers.

Stevie lost his father aged five, and his mother, Maria, brought him and his brother Tim up on her own. 

The Happy Father’s Day Mum card company origins date back to when Stevie started buying Father’s Day cards and graffiting them to replace Dad with Mum. When he saw how loved and appreciated Maria felt – especially on a day that was usually tinged with sadness for the family – he thought he could help other children do the same thing for their parents. Now the company offers a range of Happy Father’s Day Mum cards, as well as a line of Happy Mother’s Day, Dad cards for children whose fathers are doing it alone. 

There are three Father’s Day cards to choose from, including one that reads ‘Who needs a dad when your mum has balls?’ and another saying ‘Who said the best dad in the world can’t be a mum?’. 

Stevie Rowing-Parker, creative/copywriter at Valenstein & Fatt, said: “My mum poured every last ounce of energy into giving us an amazing upbringing against all odds. And yet on Father’s Day I couldn’t help thinking she still felt that somehow we’d gone without. Like not having a Dad had deprived us. So I set myself the mission of turning Father’s Day from a sad day to a day to celebrate. A day for my brother and I to tell our single Mum how proud we are and how much we appreciate everything she’s done for us. That’s why I started Happy Father’s Day Mum.”

Maria Rowing-Parker said: “When Stevie first sent me a Father’s day card with Dad crossed out and Mum scribbled on instead I couldn’t stop smiling. Single mums rarely have time to stop and reflect on everything they’ve done, they just get on with it. But when you receive a card saying thank you for being Mum and Dad, thank you for putting us in front of anything else, you can’t help feel a little bit proud. I hope more mums can feel as appreciated and loved as I do on Father’s Day.”

The cards were designed and printed by Thomas Mayo & Co using vintage printing presses and are available to buy on HappyFathersDayMum.com. The company also has an Instagram feed, @HappyFathersDayMum, which celebrates single parents. 

“I want to encourage as many children of single Mums to declare their pride and appreciation on social media whether they buy a card or not using the hashtag #HappyFathersDayMum,” Stevie added.