Dads Doing Dad Things

Celebrating the ones who show up.

I love seeing a dad do dad things. There’s something heartwarming about a father showing up for his kids, whether it’s a small gesture or a big moment.

A couple of weeks ago, I witnessed a dad arriving at his daughter’s school with balloons for her birthday. Instead of having them delivered to her classroom, he waited outside his vehicle in the car rider line. As she exited the building, he greeted her with loud cheers and some giant gold “13” balloons, each the size of a car door! She was totally mortified, which made it even better. As he drove off, smiling, the entire staff was cheering him on as he blew his horn and pumped his fist. Such a small gesture can have a lasting impact on his baby girl. That embarrassment is temporary, but that memory will stick with her for years to come.

During the World Series this year, there was a big story about Freddie Freeman and his appreciation for his father. Freddie’s dad, Fred, stepped up big in his mother’s absence after they lost her to melanoma when he was 10 years old. Freddie learned a lot from his dad. He learned about how to be a supportive father, how to be a protector, how to love his children, and how to show up. All skills that Freddie would go on to use as he balances being a world-class athlete and a present father for his own family. Especially as his son faces Guillain-Barré syndrome, a neurological disorder. When Freddie walked to the plate with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th, he belted a walk-off grand slam that sent the baseball world into a frenzy. And how did Freddie celebrate? Amid the chaos, as his teammates pummeled him, he made his way past home plate to the net, where he screamed in his father’s face. Post-game interviews shed light on what Freddie was feeling in that moment: “My dad has been there since I was a little boy, throwing batting practice to me every day. This isn’t my moment; it’s his moment.”

I’m not naive though. I understand that some of you haven’t experienced having a dad who shows up. I acknowledge that some folks have mothers pulling double duty. I think it’s important to express how much I appreciate you moms out there doing dad things. Your job is so unbelievably hard, and I truly wish you didn’t have to do it on your own. I wish more men recognized the significance of what it means to be a father and how important it is to the development of a child. I wish more men showed a willingness to replace their selfishness with selflessness. Moms, we see you running yourselves ragged. We see you going from school to soccer, to tee-ball, to club sports, to dinner, and then home to get ready for the next day. We appreciate you.

Dads,

God gives us a great responsibility when we become fathers. If you’ve been blessed with an amazing little girl, your relationship with her can have a profound impact on her self-esteem and sense of identity. How you love her mother can impact the type of spouse she looks for in the future. Ask yourself, would you want someone treating your daughter the way you treat her mother?

If you’re dad of one of those rough and tough (or soft and sensitive) little boys, research suggests your relationships with your child may be even more important than their relationship with their mother. Your son sees you as an example, a model for what a man looks like. If you aren’t present or you are emotionally unavailable, this will drastically affect the type of man your son becomes. Show them how to treat a woman by how you love their mom. Show them what loyalty looks like. Show them what it means to be vulnerable, or how to accept responsibility for their actions and own up to their mistakes. Teach them how to advocate for themselves and for others.

Teach your kids about Jesus. Teach them about Grace and Truth. Teach them about hope and perseverance. You won’t be there one day. You’ll be long gone and they will live on, you have to prepare them to handle life’s obstacles without you. Who better to walk it with than God?