Father’s Day: An Invitation to Connect

Published: June 20, 2021

It’s that time of year again where we take time to honor Fathers and all they do.  But what is the perfect gift for Dad?   The question has plagued Mom’s and kids for decades.

As a fellow Dad, I can admit, we can be pretty complicated to buy gifts for. We often don’t know what we want even if you ask us.  So then, what do you do? Maybe you default to the stereotypical Dad gifts of power tools and stuff for the grill.  

To get to what Dad really wants, we need to understand how a Dad sees the world.  We see the world through the lens of purpose, providing, and protecting our family.  That rings true for military families even more., A Dad in the military serves in a capacity that the family often doesn’t get to fully understand. 

Through this lens, we can see that a Dad often feels like he has  the weight of the world on his shoulders and that it’s on us to figure it all out.  As a Dad who has felt that, I know it can be hard.  It can be a lonely place where we tell ourselves we have to appear to have it all together.  

Again through this lens, we ask the question, what does Dad really want for Father’s Day? 

What if it’s a connection?

A connection to the women that gave him the gift of being called Dad. A connection to his kids that he will try to bestow his wisdom  to live a more capable life. A connection to the feeling of being home.  

Now that sounds good as you might be reading this, but what does it look like? I believe an invitation of connection looks like creating some room to enjoy the fruits of the family life you have created together. 

Go on an outdoor adventure in a local park, state park, or, if you are lucky enough, one of the national parks. Nature is one of the elements that help change the energy of our surroundings and calm the high steaks emotions we have day in and day out.

  1. Have your kids write a letter with answers to these questions:
    1. I love it when my Dad ____
    2. My Dad is really great at ___
    3. I think my Dad is funny because ____
    4. I know my Dad loves me because ____
    5. My favorite thing to do with my Dad is ___
    6. The one thing I hear my Dad say a lot is ___
    7. I love my Dad because ___
  2. Pack up a picnic and enjoy a family meal in a new environment
  3. Enjoy an outdoor movie night with the kids
  4. Plan an outdoor adventure to a local, state, or national park
  5. Set up a tent in the back yard and experience camping in a new way
  6. Plan a staycation day
  7. Bonus Idea: Invite Dads from the neighborhood over on Saturday night for a Dads only night.  We often don’t have time to connect with other men outside of work.  This is a great way to give him the gift of conversation and friendship, and on Sunday, enjoy time together as a family. 

What Dad really wants is an invitation to slow down, be present with our family, and connect with those we love most in this world.  

Being called Dad is the best title we will ever have. Help the Father in your life come home to the truth that our family will be our legacy and what we do on this earth is important, but what we leave behind is ten times more important.

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