top ten posts: dads matter

Reader interest in this post surprised me. Maybe it's an idea that needs revival: the importance of fathers.

 

From the moment a man first holds his newborn,

a dad is born, too.
And he matters.

my son Mark

As his strong arms swing a toddler over his head,

a dad matters.

When he pulls a laugh from his wife at the end of a trying day with those toddlers,

a dad matters.

When he cares for his children (it's not called babysitting) on a Saturday morning,

feeding them food their mother wouldn't,

a dad matters.

When he lets his children push the limits of safety and common sense,
fostering in them a sense of adventure,

a dad matters.

As he learns to braid hair and change diapers,
trim tiny fingernails, and fill sippy cups,

a dad matters.

When he heads to countless little league games after long days at work,
a dad matters.
When a man comforts the broken heart of his young daughter
and wipes her tears away,
he means the world to her.
When a man listens to the stories of his children's day at bedtime,
they come to rely on him, and he matters.

And when he prays with them,
he matters as they learn to turn to God for their strength.

my son Dan



When a father teaches lawn-mowing, throwing, catching, batting,

and rides for 50 hours with his student-driver son,

that dad matters.

When a man takes the old family dog to be put down,

and doesn't hide his tears from his children,

he matters.

my husband Bill

When a father is flexible and

wisely changes his fathering as his children mature,

he matters.

More than he knows.

When a man nears the end of his days

and reflects on his time of fathering,

he will find peace if had the wisdom, love and foresight ...

to matter.

my dad

Dads matter, perhaps more than anything.

They are God's representative on earth,

and today I honor the dads in my life:

my own dad, my husband, two of my sons, and my brothers.