With my daughter Rachel 12 years ago. Success is wonderful and so satisfying, and most of us all strive for it. We all have strengths and weaknesses, and success doesn’t always come easily. One of the toughest, yet least prepared for, responsibilities in the world is parenting. We all fail at times. But just remember that failure means you care; while giving up means you don’t care. Your natural abilities have nothing to do with either.
That’s the surprising thing about being a father. You may not know how to change a diaper or say the right things at the right time. You may not be naturally funny or know how to talk to a kid comfortably. Your walls may not be adorned with awards and degrees. Athletic activities may not come naturally to you, or you can’t string two words together that make sense. None of those talents will make you a good father. I don’t deny that any of them can and do help, but they are the adornments. Here’s what is real!
- Imagine a barely literate father, holding his toddler on his lap reading, in a halted manner, a children’s book. That’s a real dad! That’s Dadhood at its best.
- A father may never change a diaper or get his kids off to school in the morning. He may be an over-the-road truck driver or has long hours as a store owner or a doctor. Maybe he just can’t handle the duty. Sure, that may be a weakness, but it doesn’t define his parenting. His eyes and heart do that.
- Words may escape a father, but the right look or a hug can say everything! That’s Dadhood!
- Humor is an excellent quality in parenting, but humor doesn’t necessarily mean funny. As much as anything, humor is an attempt to relieve tension. Trying and failing to be funny can be humorous. Dad’s do that a lot. It makes them real!
- A saw a dad playing catch with his son in a park. The dad was so awkward at throwing; you could see he never played a sport. I was so proud of this dad! He was trying!
- Not every father can or will write a letter or even a decent, loving text to their son or daughter. Many fathers seldom do. But here are two words you can string together, “I care!” You can stretch yourself and string three words together, “I love you!” How about four, “How are you doing?” Real dads do these things, and they don’t have to be Shakespeare.
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