This coming Sunday is Father’s Day. I never used to give this day much thought. For the past few years, I’ve taken my dad out for dinner for Father’s Day. It gives us a chance to just sit and catch up, just the two of us. That’s probably what I’ll do again this year.
Now that I’m a father myself, the whole idea of being a “father” has taken on a new meaning. I’ve written before about what a responsibility it is to have a child dependent on you for all their developmental needs: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. I’m confident that my wife and I will do a good job teaching and instructing our little boy, while at the same just watching and enjoying him enjoy his childhood. My goal is to be a good father, but what does that mean? When it’s all said and done, and our little boy is an adult with children of his own, here are some things I hope he can look back and say about his father (me):
- He loved me (and told me so regularly)
- He loved mom (and treated her well)
- He enjoyed life and was a happy person
- He worked hard and taught me the value of hard work
- Though he worked hard, he also knew when to relax
- When he came home from work he always asked about my day and really listened when I told him about it
- He was my friend
- He believed in me (when I didn’t believe in myself)
- He taught me about life
- He was wise
- He was active (we played ball, rode bikes, and went on walks instead of watching tv)
- He cared about people
- He always looked out for me (even when I didn’t realize it)
- He was generous (both with his time and money)
- He taught me the value of a dollar (but also that money isn’t everything)
- He knew the difference between needs and wants (and lived within his means)
- He was always there whenever I needed him (day or night)
- He had big dreams for me (and made me believe I could achieve big things)
7 comments
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Matthew Doyle
June 14, 2012 at 1:22 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
This is a great list. Well done!! I hope my daughter says all these same things.
Modest Money
June 14, 2012 at 1:47 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Well put like that, it’s an awful lot of pressure on parents. When you’re only accountable to yourself, slacking off in any of these areas mostly only affects your own conscience. I guess I need to get working on improving myself before I should even thinking about having kids. Oh yeah, and I guess I need a wife lol.
Justin
June 15, 2012 at 11:46 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Hmm, I never really thought if it as being pressure on me to do those things. I think of those things as things I’d want to be doing anyway. Your time will come. It’s amazing how quickly your way of thinking changes once that little one comes along.
Katie
June 15, 2012 at 7:39 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I hope my daughters can say the same things about me. When you have children your priorities change and they become number one. If I can do one thing in my life it will be to raise kids that can say those things about me and feel that they are always loved. Have a happy fathers day!
Justin
June 15, 2012 at 11:47 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Definitely! Love is the most important thing we can give to our children.
Jon Rhodes
June 15, 2012 at 11:07 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Sounds like a nice list of things to say, and I’m sure he will one day!
MyMoneyDesign
June 18, 2012 at 12:30 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
What a great list. I hope my son (and daughter) have the same expectations for me. Happy belated Fathers Day.