If you haven’t wrapped that new tie or picked out a nice card for your dad yet, don’t bother.
The gift your dad really wants can’t be wrapped in a box or stuffed in an envelope.
Start with a visit – and not just today. As we get older, we tend to have stronger relationships with our mothers. One study found that fathers do not get equal attention until children turn 50. When parents are separated, children see their mother twice as often as their dad.
If distance makes spending more time with dear old dad a pipedream, make a concerted effort to strengthen your relationship when you phone him.
Mom may be the one who will call you if she hasn’t heard from you in a while. But, chances are, your dad wants to be just as involved. Try something different. Tell him something you don’t think he knows about you. It could spark a conversation you will remember for the rest of your life.
Thank him for something you learned from him, whether it is how to throw a curve ball, how to drive or how to stand behind your decisions.
Listen to his old stories because he won’t always be there to tell them. And if he is already gone, share a few stories about him with your kids.
Forget the tools and ties. Let today be a day for building memories, spending time together and expressing the love and respect you feel for the man who raised you.