6 Reasons to Be Thankful For Dad

Dads are a unique breed. They can be serious and stern when you are caught sneaking in after curfew. They can be fun loving and cheerful when you want a friend. They provide a shoulder to cry on when you are sad, an ear to vent to when you are angry and an extra mind to help you brainstorm and problem solve. They know how to teach you the important things in life, and they know how to be utterly ridiculous to help cheer you up when you are sad.

Dads are special and deserve a little extra love. Do something extra special for Dad on Father’s Day, but make sure it is something that will matter to him. If he does not care about food, do not take him out to a special dinner. Instead, promise that you will not fight with him over the remote that night. Do not limit yourself to one weekend in June either. Dads are dads all year round, so, show your appreciation throughout the year. Do something nice for Dad occasionally, and tell him how grateful you are for all he has done for you because he has done a lot. Here are six reasons to be thankful for Dad.

Made You Laugh

Dad has always been one of the best playmates. When you went to the pool, no one could throw you higher into the air. During the winter, no one could get the sled going faster. Dad made the best leaf piles, pushed you the highest on the swings and probably let you climb higher in the tree than Mom did. He helped you build towering sandcastles, found the straightest sticks to use as makeshift swords in a game of pretend and was always happy to run races with you. He let you win sometimes, but not always. He made you work for it. In childhood memories, Dad made you laugh. He tickled your feet, bounced you high enough on the trampoline that Mom panicked, came up with ridiculous antics when you played HORSE by the basketball hoop and yes, he told terrible jokes as well. Even if you groaned, they made you smile, too. They still do.

Protective Without Being Stifling

Dad may or may not have been the one you called to deal with the monsters hiding under the bed, but he was probably the person you called when you had your first flat tire. He was probably the one you asked to come pick you up the first time you had too much to drink.

Dad is protective, but he never stifled you. He wanted you to grow and learn. He wanted you to become independent. Of course, that meant he made you try and do it yourself first. This tendency was maddening when you were already frustrated with the jack for the car or were completely lost on your math homework, but it meant that as you grew older, you were used to trying to figure things out on your own. He made you think. He would ask questions to lead you to the right answer rather than just give it to you. At the time, it may have seemed like he was just being difficult. Looking back, however, you realize he was not just teaching you how to do long division. He was teaching you how to problem solve. He was teaching you how to think.

Example of a Real Man

Dad probably was not the uber-buff machismo so many people envision when they hear that someone was a “real man.” He did not have the endless hours to spend at a gym becoming a man who could pass for Superman’s older brother. He was, however, a real man and made it clear that the tough talking bodybuilder was not a “real man” at all. Dad taught his children through example and showed that a real man is one who is honorable and lives by his values. He emphasized that real men take responsibility for their actions and uphold their duty. Dad kept his word and was a man of honor. He was fair and honest, even if he did fib that the special dinner was totally not a surprise party for your Mom. Of course not, honey!

Dad did not just tell his children what it meant to be a real man, he lived it and continues to live it. In doing so, he showed his sons what sort of person they should aspire to become and showed his daughters what sort of man they should look to marry.

Teacher of Intangibles

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Dad may have helped you with your homework or taught you how to change the oil in your car, but he was also one of the teachers who taught you the most about the important intangibles. Dad talked about the importance of honor and why you always, always, always had to keep your word. Dad emphasized responsibility and integrity. He gave you the definitions, gave you the reasons they were important, and then, he went out and showed you why those intangibles mattered so much. He not only explained those intangibles with words, he lived them with actions. He took responsibility for his actions and was always honest. He walked the talk every day.

Honor, duty and responsibility were only some of the intangibles he taught you. He helped teach you about love and about fun. He showed you why hard work mattered, but he made sure you were never afraid to have fun. He made sure you learned the “serious intangibles” like duty and honor, but he also made sure you practiced the “light intangibles” like the importance of laughter.

Lived Good Character

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Dad had, and still has, good character. He lived a life of integrity and always acted according to his values. He never took the easy way out. He stood up for what was right and taught you to do the same. Dad lived a life filled with good character and made sure to pass that ability on to you. That does not mean you always appreciated it at the time. No one enjoys being sixteen and being told that taking care of their eight year old sibling on a Friday night will help them learn patience. No fourteen year old wants to hear that doing odd jobs around the neighborhood will help them appreciate the value of money more than a straightforward allowance. It is memories like these that make the refrain of “it builds character” in the “Calvin and Hobbes” comic strips so funny. You relate because you probably heard some variation of that common theme. Now, however, you can appreciate that Dad was having you build character because he recognized its importance and knew that one day you would too.

Loves You Always

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Dad is not perfect. Some of his jokes are cringe worthy, and his dance moves are certain to raise a few eyebrows. His taste in snacks is questionable, and you will never get to choose the TV channel unless you get there first and then hide the remote. You remember being thirteen and irritable and just knowing that if you heard “it builds character” one more time you were going to run screaming into the woods. All that time, though, he loved you.

Dad loved you when you were two years old and refused to wear pants in the middle of winter. He loved you when you were eight and wanted him to build a snowman ten feet high. He loved you when you were twelve and scared of how your body was starting to change, and he loved you when you were fifteen and an unholy, hormonal nightmare. He was not always perfect, but he loved you dearly. He always did, always will, and you never doubted that fact.