Father’s Day 2019

Father’s Day is this weekend.  You have probably heard the saying that “anyone can be a Father but not everyone can be a dad” and I can’t agree with this more.  I have been blessed with a wonderful father (and dad) and have a husband who is a wonderful dad but I know that not everyone is as lucky.

When my son was born, I remember being my son’s EVERYTHING.  He wanted me when he was hungry, when he was sad, and when he was happy too.  I recall asking my husband if he wanted to spend more time with our son since I had him 99% of the time and I distinctly remember him telling me not to worry because he would be spending more time with our son when he was older.

Flash forward.  My son is now three.  In many ways, time has flown by and my baby has suddenly been replaced by a bright and inquisitive little boy; a boy who is absolutely in love with his daddy.  Sure, he still loves mom and he runs to me when he wants comfort but he idolizes his dad.

My husband is much more than a father.  He is a wonderful dad.  He goes out of his way to make our son smile and it makes my heart happy to see it.  We are fortunate in that my husband works from home right now.  I am NOT a morning person so most mornings, my husband gets up to get ready for work and feeds our son breakfast while I jump in the shower and get ready to take our son out for whatever activity that we have planned for the day.

Later when we get home, he makes sure to greet our son and asks him if he had fun.  It’s one of our son’s favorite parts of the day.  He can’t wait to go home and tell daddy all about what he has done.  In the same respect, if he does something that he knows that he shouldn’t, his first response is “don’t tell daddy!”  He deeply loves and respects his dad and while he knows that both his mom and dad love him unconditionally (I hope) he is always very worried about disappointing his dad.

After work, my husband always makes an effort to play with and spend time with our son, even when he is tired from a long day.  He doesn’t just sit with him; my husband gets down on the floor and plays with the toys, rough houses, and give piggy back rides.  It’s really amazing to see.  It’s no surprise that my son can’t wait for his dad to play with him.  His dad is so much fun!

In addition, one weekend a month, my husband who is in the Army Reserves has army duty two hours away.  Each morning that he is gone, my husband takes the time to send our son a video text message telling him to have a great day and to please be a good boy for mom.  Our son begs to watch each one multiple times and can’t wait to see his message each morning.  I am constantly reminded how lucky I am to have my husband and how lucky my son is to have him as his dad.

So what makes a great dad?  A great dad puts his son before himself and goes out of his way to make sure that his son knows that he is loved no matter what.  Sometimes I have to admit that I feel jealous of the love that my son lavishes on my husband but I know that the father – son bond is incredibly important and I am glad that theirs is so strong.  If you are feeling the same right now, know that you haven’t been forgotten.  I know that this isn’t easy sometimes but if your child is blessed to have two amazing parents that is a wonderful gift.

Each day that passes I find that not only does my love for my son grow but so does my love for my husband.  I love that he takes his job as a dad so seriously and that he puts 100% effort into being the best dad he can be.  He is truly a great partner and I am grateful.  I hope that he knows how much he is appreciated.

Father’s Day can be difficult for some.  Maybe you never had a great dad in your life or your father or husband doesn’t quite measure up to the expectations that you had.  But if you do have the privilege of having a great dad in your life please thank him and let him know that he is appreciated.  They are so important.

My Husband’s First Father’s Day                    Credit and Copyright Karen McCall – http://karenmccall.com/