Last night we gathered for a talent show. Cherish was the organizer and she did a splendid job. She was a graceful and articulate Master of Ceremonies. We had talents from knot tying to cartwheels, to playing the recorder. It was sweet to watch each participant as they courageously marched to the front to share their gifts. As I sat quietly in the back, I was really struck with the thought that the presence of “Dad” added a unique and important quality to the evening.
Up to this point, it was the mothers who came to all of the activities. I had never met the fathers. Cherish felt that we should do our talent show in the evening so that the Dads could be there too! I’m grateful that she had this insight. Dads bring out another side of children. It only takes a smile and a nod of the head for them to invoke confidence in their kids. They also emulate a sense of pride that their children quickly sense. We need their strength and their wisdom, their support and their acceptance.
It brought back memories of my own father. He encouraged me to learn to play the piano. He would sit in his chair and listen to me practice. Even when I was a beginner, and really terrible, he made me feel like I had a special talent! So a big round of applause to the Dads who worked hard all day and still found the time to be there tonight for their beautiful sons and daughters!
May I respectfully leave a few suggestions to all of you amazing Dads out there striving to support your children:
- Find time to read with them (A recent Harvard study showed that kids benefit more when fathers read the bedtime story)
- Pray with them
- Take them to work with you for a day
- “Dad’s night out” with each individual child (Rotate each month)
- Cook with them
- Teach them what “hard work” really looks like
- Teach them to save
- Teach them to serve
- Teach your boys to be a gentleman and your girls to settle for nothing less
- Tell them you love them everyday
- Hug their mother
Marianne allred
I love reading your posts. They give me such insight and new ways of thinking.
Val
Thank you for taking a few moments to comment. It makes a huge difference knowing that someone is gaining a little something from my blog!