Why Is Father’s Day Different
As a father, I am just wondering why Father’s Day doesn’t seem to merit the same amount of “respect” as other holidays. Now, I am not being a pouty dad, who is just trying to get more attention on Father’s Day than I already get. I am asking a legitimate question. I really want to know why all weekend activities are canceled for say Memorial Day or Mother’s Day, but Father’s Day doesn’t merit the same kind of treatment.
Seriously, my oldest son’s baseball league made a point not to schedule any games over Mother’s Day weekend (heck, even my boys’ soccer leagues didn’t have any games). Our baseball coach cancelled the Friday evening and Saturday morning practices so that the boys could spend the weekend with their moms. When Memorial Day Weekend rolled around the same thing happened. No baseball games were on the schedule and our coach cancelled the Friday and Saturday practices. Do all the fathers out there get the same kind of consideration now that our weekend is here? Absolutely not!
I understand that people make travel plans over Memorial Day weekend. I also get it that most families want to get out and celebrate the first weekend of “summer”. Having games and practices over the Memorial Day weekend is pointless. I also “get it” that people have plans for Mother’s Day. They get together with parents, in-laws, grandmothers etc. to celebrate the special ladies in our lives. What about the dads though? Don’t we all need to get together with our fathers, in-laws, grandfathers and the special men in our lives? Why isn’t this a priority?
As Father’s Day weekend is upon us, I have to admit that I am slightly frustrated that we have baseball practice on Friday evening. We also have it Saturday morning. We even have a baseball game on Sunday afternoon. Now don’t get me wrong, there is no place I would rather be on Father’s Day then out at the ballpark, but seriously, we don’t get even the slightest break for Father’s Day. I still have to get over and see my dad and we traditionally go to my in-laws for dinner on Father’s Day. Not this year though. While my wife and daughter eat dinner at my in-laws, I will be at the ballpark with my two boys celebrating my Father’s Day. I love baseball and I love watching my boys play, but come on, it is supposed to be a holiday. We don’t play baseball on Mother’s Day and we don’t play on Memorial Day, why can’t we get Father’s Day off as well?