This being Father’s Day, I’d like to salute all the dads.
You have a tough job. Not only is it tough to discipline children, but it’s also tough to discipline yourself to give tough love when you’d rather give in.
Now, add to all that the depiction of fathers in the media. For decades now, dads have been portrayed as wusses, goofballs, and bumbling idiots. I suppose this was society’s knee-jerk reaction to Dads being the big heavy way back when—someone to be feared. But the pendulum has swung too far in the other direction, and it seems to have stuck.
I beseech you, dads, be the big heavy!
We need good leaders to stand against the tide. We all know the value of motherhood. Moms are natural nurturers. Neither parent is more important than the other despite the subliminal messages in our culture.
Dads play a vital role in shaping the self-perception of boys and girls. We need role models. And girls thirst for affirmation from dads.
Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters
I recommend for the dad in your life Meg Meeker’s “Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters.” (I have no financial gain whatsoever in this. I"m merely recommending a good book.) It’s also good for men who want to better understand the woman in their lives.
Jim Vanore
Finally, if you’re looking for a great gift for Dad, Jim Vanore’s “Foxhole” is a short story about a father-son relationship and the secret that will bind them through eternity. In typical Vanore fashion, it’s thought provoking. And it’s a 99-cent electronic download. (I have no financial tie to this either, but would like to see for my buddy Jim's sake 100,000 or so downloads. It ain't easy making a living as a writer!)
