Is bacon is the way to your dad’s heart? (Image via The Frisky)
Is the Dad in your family hard to buy for? Does he have everything? Want nothing? Trust me, I know how much of a pain this can be, so I enlisted one of the best Dads I know to give the lowdown on how to navigate Father’s Day. Here’s what he had to say:
What dads really want for Father’s Day
The first gift is sleep. If you have kids under five, Mom will have to defend that bedroom door, no matter how anxious to please the wee-ones are.
The next gift is, well, the gift. It doesn’t have to be big and expensive, and it’s probably best that it’s not. Even if we’re not smart enough to find the ketchup in the fridge, most Dads understand how shared bank accounts work and can be sensitive to spending sprees. Not that this has ever happened in our house…
Everyone should nab a shot of their kids like this. (Pic via I Can Teach My Child.)
Back to the gift – it should be thoughtful, even if that thought only happens in the mall the week prior. If you’re looking for specific tips, Brony T-shirts are quite hot right now. In case you’re not in the know, Bronies are bros who dig My Little Pony (not sayin’ I do or that I know how to do a hoof bump or anything…).
After a gift (or two) and some fun food (think salt), what Dad really needs is… to not be needed. Dads just want a brief flashback to those days when we had no real responsibilities.
Don’t get me wrong. We love our kids. We love our wives. Some of us even love our jobs, but what we’d really love, if only for a day – or an afternoon, is to love everything from a distance.
I’m not saying that we fathers suffer and this is our only chance at freedom, but it’s nice to anticipate knowing all we have to worry about that day is…nothing. It’s an opportunity to do things that only matter to us (and by us, I mean me, not my wife).
Each Dad will have his own version of how to spend this time. It’s not for others to judge their use of it – even watching replays of old golf tournaments is valid (Editor Jody’s note: golf reruns? Really?). We just want time to ourself.
Don’t worry if this sounds too easy. I know you’re probably thinking you should arrange an activity for us (we know how you love coordinating with the wives of other Dad’s).
Please don’t. The Dad in your life probably wants a lack of planning, booking and otherwise arranging. So for Father’s Day show him some love and maybe even a bit of gratitude, then show him the door so he can go do whatever he wants, if only for a while…
Thank you “Dad” for guest posting and a big thank you to Market Mall for their ongoing support. Have you checked out their Instagram feed yet? It’s totally worth following. I’ve found some great gifts and cute clothes through it.
What are your plans for Father’s Day? Do you have any good gift ideas you could share?
P.S. You also might like Anniversary Dates and Tips for Getting Professional Family Photos.
I’m a father of 2 and I thought this was a terrible article! To be clear, I DO want to be needed, I do NOT want a gift, and the only thing I wouldn’t mind unwrapping would be a big red bow from my wife… Don’t buy into the hype that we want a break from the families or need presents, we don’t. We just want the appreciation and we’re as happy as can be.
Thanks for commenting, Chris. Appreciate your feedback.