Father’s Day For The Dad Who Is More Than A Punchline

Father’s Day is right around the corner. Tucked in the latter half of June, it’s a day we remember those men in our lives who wear the many hats that Dads wear.

Dad Hats??

Never heard of Dad hats before? Me neither… huh?

Strange, really, because Mom hats are everywhere. Books, movies, and social media all portray the many aspects of being a mom… but what about Dads?

I get it, I get it. Dads just work, right? Oh, and provide comic relief for the many sitcoms on T.V. Nothing big, just a paycheck and a joke, that’s all society had to say about the fathers of the world.

Even online, it’s pretty much the same. There are websites, blogs, and advertising galore geared towards Moms – but not much for Dad. Unless you count the many sites that show Dads messing up, blundering through life, and diapering babies backward.

Why The Contrast?

That’s the big question, isn’t it – why? Why has our society so downgraded the fathers of this world, or at least this country? My father wasn’t a joke. And my husband (and father of my children) isn’t a joke either. Oh sure, they both love a good joke – but they are not a punchline. They are not some irrelevant part of the family, as popular culture would have you believe.

In this house, my husband is the head-of-household (and I’m not just talking taxes here). Not because he demands it, or because I don’t want to be, but because we believe that’s the way it should be. Every day, he heads off to work to provide financially for this home. Every day, he comes home to children who are thrilled to see him (and hey, I am too!).

But that’s not the end. While popular culture would tell you this is all Dad is good for, he’s not done. No, he’s still busy because there is more to be done. Whether it’s taking the boys to scouts, drawing with our daughters, planning a lesson for the youth group, or watching me run out the door for my weekly ladies’ meeting at church, he’s there. Playing with the kids, working around the house, and even (gasp!) helping me with the housework.

Yup. True story. He works, I stay home – but we are a team. We do things a little differently around here, and we are both ok with that. Because that’s how we believe it should be. It doesn’t mean I am incapable of work, or that I have never held a job. It just means that for now, this is what works for us. And if history tells us anything, it’s that this was how it was for years.

Something Changed

I am not sure at what point in history Dads were written off. I don’t know if it was all at once or a slow decline. What I do know is that Dads are important. Statistically speaking, they are vital to the success of a family. History and society prove that children who are raised in two-parent homes do better in school and afterward. Children who have fathers who are involved in their lives are less likely to fall prey to the temptations of this world.

So to all the Fathers who step up, who are there, who participate and love their children, I just want to say thank you. To all the Dads who are at little league games, running to dance recitals, or helping with homework, thank you. To all the Fathers working hard and doing the best they can, thank you. To all the Dads out there still throwing a ball, teaching a skill, or playing tea party, thank you. And all the men who understand their importance in their families, thank you.

And to my husband, the man who gave me four beautiful children and supports me in all that I do – Thank you!