I know it’s a week away: 

Your dad may try to give the impression that Father’s Day doesn’t mean much.  I’d suggest you ignore his resistance. Make a big deal out of it. It’s not the gift or the card that he receives from you that’s important to him, it’s that you phoned and chatted, you wrote, you remembered and recalled your lives together and recognized his commitment to you. 

Your dad may try to brush off your attention at Father’s Day and tell you that he doesn’t need the focus and the attention but lavish him with it anyway. Neither of you will be around forever so make this one a good one, one to remember. Another shaving set or pair of socks will never be as treasured as a carefully composed letter recalling your best memories with your dad. 

Fathering is a fragile journey for many men, many whose frames of reference were often lacking.  Many of our dads fought unseen demons of ravished childhoods. Let the adult within you find grace for him —- if this be you — and celebrate your dad despite the struggles you too may have known. 

Why? Well, you decide.

Posted on June 8, 2023 at 4:53 am in Blended families, Boundaries, Children, Communication, Differentiation, Divorce, Education   |  RSS feed |   Reply   |   Trackback URL