Appreciating Dads This Father’s Day

Happy Father’s Day!  It’s the day to appreciate dads.  At the risk of making a gender blunder, wouldn’t you agree that dads are great at:

1. Rough housing:  Moms tend to think their children are very fragile, and overly worry about their children getting hurt.  Dads know that kids bounce back and enjoy the thrill of being physical.  Go ahead dads, toss them over your shoulder.
2. Model Self Care:  Dad’s can grab the golf clubs or road bike and exit themselves from the family for a day with no guilt.  Moms have a harder time of this.  Yes, they may go out, but they tend to feel badly about time away.  Its good for children to see their parents living balanced lives…. Guilt-free!
3. Routines are not so rigid: Dads are more apt to let things slide a bit.  Bedtime is recommendation, rather than a law and kids enjoy having some wiggle room in an otherwise overly scheduled and controlled life.
4. Messing up:  Kids need to see their parents make mistakes.  Dads are likely to duck tape a diaper a tea towel around a toddler when discover they didn’t pack quite enough pull ups.
5. Independence:  Dad’s are more likely to bring a book or a newspaper to a park when they take the kids. They are ok not playing with their children every moment of the day.   Children do need to learn to entertain themselves.  When dads are up for play they do – but they are fine saying “not now” too.

Let me know if you have any to add to this list. Sometimes the very qualities we complain about in others can be re-framed as great gifts others bring to the collaborative task of being a family.