Father's Day

Another father's day is gone. Did you notice? Few people in the U.S. do, for fathers are the least recognized and most under appreciated of parents. I suppose the fact that mom gives physical birth to her child gives her a lifetime pass and sanctity that dads rarely ever achieve. Surely, mom is great but when I read about Father's Day it's treated so differently than Mother's Day. On Father's Day, we get a "lecture" about what we should be doing to be a great father, about how dad's don't do enough for their kids or don't spend enough time with them.

It's Nonsense! But then the deification of mom is best achieved with the denomination of dad, at least in this society. Too, to many dads, Fathers Day seems a begrudging "well, we have a Mother's Day because mom is best , so we better have to have a Father's Day too" ritual that is not nearly as sincerely given to dad as is Mom's Day is to she.

On Mother's Day mom gets flowers, presents, a meal in a fancy restaurant and endless "I love you, Mom's" from just about everyone. On Father's Day dad gets no flowers, but instead is told "when are you going to mow the lawn"? He gets a bad necktie as a present, and usually is forced to cook his own meal outside on the barbecue pit..flies and scorching heat included. It's no wonder we dads treasure those hand made cards our little ones gave us before they turned into teenagers and sullen young adults.

Dads know about and understand the discrimination they face, but it's not always easy to be neglected, ignored or vilified. Even the legal system disrespects dad. If a man and woman divorce the dad is automatically seen as the reason for the marriages' end. Dad gets the blame and the kids are given to mom's custody because the system states that any mom is more capable and loving than any dad.

So we dads have to be content with the knowledge that our children, the ones who really matter most to us on Father's Day, know the truth that dads are every bit as loving and as good at parenting as is mom. I have nothing to say to any mom today...but Happy Father's Day to all the dads!