In the past week alone readers have accused me of being childish, inciting vandalism, censorship, sexism and child neglect. All in a week’s work for a national newspaper editor, you might say.

But enough is enough – you’ve scared me off. I need to have a lie-down for a week. It’s my chance to enjoy the whole week with my children (yes, I do mean that) and wake up lazily to breakfast in bed on Father’s Day tomorrow. I can hear the collective sound of hearts thudding to the floor as you glance up and see the card that you have been meaning to drop into the postbox sitting staring at you from the mantelpiece. Yes, the very same card that you bought weeks ago because you were “super-organised” this year. Ah well, there’s still the internet or telephone.

Of course, I’d love you to write in to say how much you miss me, but my absence is the only one you will notice. The rest of our award-winning team will still be here – from star reporters and commentators to our talented production team. This column will take on a slightly different form and will feature a letter from a different section editor each day, kicking off with Jon Bowd, our foreign editor, on Monday.

So with that, I’m off to take the advice that so many of you have given me over the past few days – to spend some time with my children, probably searching for more roses painted on to walls (but certainly not removing them to sell on eBay). I will probably be a bit childish with them, but I’ll make sure that my son plays with dolls and soft toys, and that my daughter gets the trains and cars out. (There I go again!)

But forget the cards, I hope all you dads out there get what you most deserve on Father’s Day – some quality time with your children.

Twitter.com: @jonesrhodri