Dads are people too

A Father’s Day Guide

With Father’s Day upon us, we should examine some myths, misunderstandings and lies associated with this period on our calendars.

Let me begin by disclosing that I am indeed a father and therefore authorized to speak on this subject. I am also the product of excellent parents. The opinions expressed in this article are the result of observations made over many years.

To put things in perspective, just take a look at your favorite shopping website or visit your local department store. Here you will find all of the “Father’s Day specials” that no doubt feature the classics. Everything from socks to neckties, grills to power tools will be proudly displayed. Now, compare this to Mother’s Day where flowers, dinners, spa treatments and trips are the norm. Do you see a pattern? Dads are given gifts that require them to perform manual labor. Operating drills, standing behind a hot grill for hours and mowing the lawn are not fun! If moms were to receive an iron or a set of pots, it would be viewed as sacrilegious. 

Let us now take a peek into our churches and places of worship. Father’s Day sermons are regularly verbal beatings for men. We are reminded about our shortcomings and our need to improve on every level of life. There is rarely any special mention for those of us who are exceptional dads. Meanwhile, Mother’s Day services are celebrations of accomplishments to all women. There are flowers everywhere, the entire family accompanies mom to church and there is a never-ending award of gifts. We get to listen while being reminded how important mothers are, how they single-handedly raised the family and how heroic they are. 

It is my belief that dads have been unfairly cornered by society. In early family structures, men were considered the “bread winners” while the women took care of the home. This required fathers to spend most of the day away from their family and thus a closer bond was established with mom. Fast forward to present day and this tradition has translated into dads receiving gifts that require them to perform even more work. Remember, they worked because they had to; not because they enjoyed it.

My final observation comes from the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. For some unknown reason, a Father’s Day tradition is the sale and purchasing of crabs. These crabs are used to make delicious, Bahamian crab and rice. My assumption is that this delicacy is fed to fathers in order to give them energy to operate the grill or lawnmowers. Meanwhile, during Mother’s Day, there are beautiful baskets and balloons for sale everywhere; not a crustacean in sight. 

In a nutshell, fathers are people too. We also enjoy the finer things in life. Dads enjoy relaxing, receiving encouragement, going for manicures and pedicures too. We would like to go on weekend getaways and some would probably appreciate flowers.  So while there is still time, you can help to break this vicious cycle and get your dad something he will really enjoy and that will pamper him.

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