Q & A - Lone Dad Dave Riley talks about life with his daughter, aged four.

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Updated 10/06/05

Dave Riley became a lone parent when his wife died in 2002. He has a daughter, aged four.

Dave was working as an on-the-road service engineer when he became a single dad. The hours on the job were incompatible with raising a child alone but his employer declined his request for flexible working or alternative duties.

He’s now working full time on an IT helpdesk for a bank.

What’s the most valuable thing you’ve learnt?

The value of friends and of family support – and love of my daughter.

When are you happiest?

When I’m with my daughter and friends having a laugh.

If you could do one thing for single parents, what would it be?

Improve their financial security.

What do you fret about?

Being able to provide my daughter with a secure, stable, happy upbringing.

Your greatest indulgence?

Chocolate – food in general!

What’s given you a laugh (lately)?

Some of the funny things my daughter says.

What (rather than who) would you find it hardest to do without?

My CD collection and my car (I depend on it to get about)

What surprises you?

How much women are put off a man by him having a full-time young daughter (sorry, had to get that one in).

What does being grown up mean?

Experiencing the disappointment of the dreams and ideals you had as a child not being true and seeing the unkindness in the world.

What’s the Government doing well?

Trying to improve public services with more finance.

What’s it getting wrong?

Being too much like a watered-down Conservative party and not giving workers (including single parents) more rights.

What do you hope for?

To meet someone who I can fall in love with and together build a new life for me and my daughter.

What or who is heroic?

Anyone who gives up their time and money to help those less fortunate or in need.

Your favourite line or few lines of text?

Saw this the other day: ‘Do the things sober that you say you will do when you’re drunk: that way you will learn to keep your mouth shut!’

What’s the hardest thing you’ve done?

Study for the final year of my OU degree in 2002.

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