Northeast Ohio Parent blogger Michelle Dickstein shares the following message to her daughters, in honor of Father’s Day. You can read more from Michelle by clicking here, or check out her blog, Emailing with my Girlfriends, where she writes about her passions including food, family vacations, and helping others live their best and happiest life.
For 18 years I did not celebrate Father’s Day because I was raised by a single mom. Father’s Day was just not on my radar until my husband and I had kids of our own.
We had three kids in less than three years (hello, surprise twins!). Now, we are in the throes of parenthood. Celebrating parenthood (a.k.a. Father’s Day, Mother’s Day and our general ability to keep three little people alive) is paramount because we deserve to recognize our hard work!
My girls are only 5 and 3 years old, but they’ll be able to read one day. Here is what I would like my daughters to know about their dad this Father’s Day:
1. Your mother has the most excellent taste in men. Okay, I say this jokingly, but honestly I have done you a solid. You have the most phenomenal father I could ever hope for and then some. I never imagined how amazing your dad would be as a parent, but he’s exceeded my expectations by light years.
2. Your father is the most logical person you could ever hope to meet. Say what you mean and mean what you say because he’ll hold you to it (I will too, actually).
3. Your dad wasn’t sure he even wanted to be a parent, ever. True story; this goes back to being incredibly logical. He had never been around babies or little kids before, so he wasn’t sure he would be good at it. If you are not sure you’ll be good at something, why do it? (I’m very glad he appeased my wish to have babies.)
4. Becoming your dad has softened your father’s heart. Before you were born I saw him get emotional maybe twice in over 5 years. Now if you just ask him to tell you the story of when you were born, his eyes get misty.
5. Becoming your dad has opened his world up in unimaginable ways. Your father was not a spiritual person until he met you.
6. Additionally, your dad is really smart, seriously… he doesn’t flaunt his intelligence, but it’s stellar.
7. Your dad is awesome at finding small items you lose. If something goes missing, he will not rest until he finds it for you (but it would be nice if you could stop losing all your “treasures”).
8. When you get in trouble, flash your dad a smile with a twinkle in your eye and he’ll forgive you every trespass.
9. With your dad, you will always have a man in your life who will put you first and only wants the best for you.
10. Your dad loves you unconditionally, for all eternity, and he will do everything in his power to never let you down. He is your knight in shining armor and he will always come to your rescue.
11. Grown-ups are not perfect. There might come a time you find a chink in your dad’s armor, so just look the other way.
12. No one adores you the same way your dad loves you. The notion of love at first sight was confirmed when I saw him look at you for the first time. You have slayed him.
13. Your dad doesn’t want you to date or get married, EVER. (I’ll work on this with you.)
14. If you end up marrying someone with half the brains, integrity, kindness and capacity to communicate and love as your father, you’ll be set. He’s just the best.
There are not enough superlatives I can use to convey how your father feels about you and what he has brought to your life by simply being your dad. If I could bottle it up and physically hand you a magic potion to soothe any sadness or heartache you might experience in the years to come, I would. Instead, if you should ever feel down, I hope what I have shared here serves as a warm security blanket.
By simply existing, you have made the biggest impact on your father’s life and changed the very fabric of his being. The love in his heart has grown exponentially because of you. I hope one day you’ll be able to experience the same feelings for your kids.
Beth
Beautiful