I admit it: Father’s Day is no Mother’s Day. One is revered while the other is basically tolerated (with love, of course).
C’mon… how many times have you seen an athlete turn to the camera and spontaneously say, “Hi, dad!”? Zippo.
How many $100-per-person Father’s Day brunches are being offered today? None, I’d wager.
And an old college buddy shared a post on Facebook this past week that was an ad for a “Free meal for Dad!” at Chick-fil-A on Father’s Day. Chick-fil-A isn’t open on Sundays. Hilarious.
I think you get my point. And The Palm Beach Post is like pretty much every other U.S. news outlet when it comes to reporting on Father’s Day. Yes, we care… sort of. Yes, we acknowledge it… grudgingly. But hey, it’s not like it’s Mother’s Day.
I started asking about Father’s Day right after Mother’s Day
Full disclosure: As a father of three wonderful daughters, I begin haranguing my editorial colleagues (and anyone else within shouting distance) about the impending recognition of well-meaning dads everywhere right after Mother’s Day (despite my wife’s attempts to claim the whole month of June).
My colleagues greet my rants and proclamations of, “Best day of the year!” with eye rolls before finally relenting on its worth as a story.
This year, once again, Post Features Editor Sonja Isger stepped up with a piece from Entertainment Writer Eddie Ritz on nearly two dozen places in Palm Beach County to take dad to eat…
Thank goodness, because all I had was a press release from some no-name jewelry company suggesting various bracelets “ensuring there’s a perfect choice for every type of dad.”
Here’s what dads really want for Father’s Day
Truth is, when it comes to gifts, most dads don’t want much beyond a good meal featuring a juicy, grilled tomahawk steak followed by a long nap.
The only thing better is just knowing that our efforts at this Dad thing are appreciated. We’re not perfect. We too often say the wrong thing. We can forget to turn off the game on TV when we’re supposed to be listening. And we can misjudge the importance of being at that school event instead of that office meeting.
But we keep trying. We have no problem looking in those teary eyes and saying, “I’m sorry”. We’ll go as far as turning the game off to listen. And we have no problem with a recounting of that school event over shared ice cream cones. Because being “Dad” is the best job in the world.
So, Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there who are trying to get it right. Enjoy your tomahawk steak, and your nap.
And to Rachel, Taylor and Elisabeth, thanks for making me feel appreciated.
Rick Christie is Florida State Opinion Group Editor for the USA Today Network-Florida. He resides in Royal Palm Beach.
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This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: I will keep trying to speak up for Father’s Day… because someone has to do it
Reporting by Rick Christie, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
