Father's Day Traditions
Every mid-June comes along a holiday that may be glossed over as summer takes hold of our lives, but it is marked on the calendar because it is important. Father’s Day is a day to stop and thank, celebrate, reflect and remember all the father figures in our lives, as well as the fathers in our children’s lives. Now, selecting the perfect gift for the men in our lives tends to be challenging, especially as the years go by. Too often they seem already to have the golf clubs, grill and ties typically thought of for gifting.
Being a parent yourself can make it a logistical challenge both to celebrate your own father, as well as start your own traditions with the father of your children. Different trains of thought seem to surround both Mother’s and Father’s days. Some spouses like to help their children honor the other parent, while other families let the children celebrate their parents while the adults celebrate their own mother and fathers. This is an important discussion to have with your spouse to understand and know what to expect, especially if you live close to your families.
Think of what your husband enjoys and work with it, even if it includes the stereotypical ideas mentioned above. If Dad is an avid golfer, embrace it in any price point. Plan for him to have a golf outing or weekend at a beautiful course he’s been wanting to try—or hasn’t even dreamed of! If that’s not an option for your family, schedule a surprise tee time for him at his favorite local course and encourage him to take some time to enjoy his hobby. You could also plan a family outing to a par-3 course to give him the opportunity to share his hobby and teach his children how to golf too.
There’s always mini golf for the younger kids. Check out the Howl in One Mini Golf offered at Great Wolf Lodge. This is a fun way to celebrate and enjoy what Daddy likes. As for gifts, replacing or upgrading his gear is always appreciated. For Daddy’s little buddies, there are cheap kids’ golf sets that can be cute for practicing like Daddy. This goes for any hobby, such as grilling, car shows, fishing, hunting, video games and more. Use his unique interests and be creative with it.
I personally love the idea of annual traditions. Growing up, we would help my mom make breakfast in bed for my dad, usually steak and eggs with toast. Serving and just taking extra care of Dad, making that day special for him, is an easy way to honor him. This can be a fun way to incorporate your kids and give them something exciting to look forward to each year. Plus, who doesn’t like being served breakfast in bed?
Kristen Krogmeier, mother of two, has a fun tradition. “We always do a brewery tour, either local or sometimes we make a trip out of it, such as visiting the Budweiser Brewery Experience in St. Louis.” If this sounds up your alley, check out the 45-minute walking tour at Boulevard Brewing Company that finishes with samples in their Tasting Room. Their website does suggest arriving early on weekends and holidays to make sure you get your tickets. There are also many other local breweries that could be fun to check out, such as KC Bier Co. with a bonus kids play area, Rock and Brews with patio jungle gym, and Bier Station.
Casey Frasser, mother of three, celebrates with a different tradition. “We always end up going fishing and then having a cookout.” For fishing, check out Kaw Point Park, the Lewis and Clark Park, Shawnee Mission Park or Swope Park Lake of the Woods.
Lori Tate, mother of three, celebrates simply. “We usually eat out or grill out (Dad’s choice), and the kids make cards and homemade gifts.” Speaking of going out to eat or grilling as options, check out some of the amazing barbecue for which KC is famous. My family’s favorites are Jack Stack and Joes’ Kansas City Bar-B-Que. You also can buy their meat rubs, seasonings and sauces to grill your own—or mail to your own dads. Both restaurants also ship their famous barbecue for a tasty package to receive in the mail.
A great way to make sure he has a great day is to simply ask what he’d like to do that day and then honor him. Bradey Turner, mother of two, says, “My husband gets to choose whatever he wants to do that day. It usually involves doing something outside and then enjoying some beer afterwards.”
As with all things in this day and age, countless ideas appear online and on Pinterest. They can help make this day extra special, but they also can leave you completely overwhelmed. This is where having the conversation about what his expectations are is very useful. If this is overwhelming to you or Father’s Day is already TOMORROW and you didn’t plan anything, then just breathe and let the kids plan something special for Daddy. He’s their dad after all.
As with Mother’s Day, these parent-honoring days sometimes can be challenging for those who have had difficult relationships in the past or who wish to become a parent. If this is a holiday that has some baggage for you, maybe you can create a new tradition for this day, like going to see a new movie or taking a hike then getting ice cream cones.
Stephanie Loux is the mother of Layla, 9, Mason, 7, Slade, 4, and appreciates her husband as a father and is thankful for her father, Brian.