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Parenting is tough. In the chaos of drop-offs, homework, cooking, cleaning, and good-ole adulting, we forget to acknowledge how amazing parents are. Raising children is no small feet.
Luckily, parents have one day each year to be recognized and praised! (Major sarcasm here.) Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are seen as THE days to show parents how valued they are. Societal pressure to “get it right” or “go big” makes it challenging to meet expectations.
>> RELATED READ :: 15 Father’s Day Gift Ideas for the Father Figure in Your Life <<
Honestly, parents deserve more than one day. We need love, support, and encouragement regularly. Sounds pretty simple, right?
Gratitude
One of my goals is to show my husband gratitude more often, with my son as my teammate. While we can’t plan big surprises often, finding small ways to celebrate my husband has been fun. I’m also more content at home and less stressed about the small things.
(For the record, I thought I was pretty good about acknowledging my husband’s efforts and contributions. Since setting my goal, I see there’s always room for growth.)
Gratitude is the physical manifestation of an emotion or feeling. In other words, telling someone you’re thankful for him and why. The actionable part is where I fell short and where I’m focusing my energy.
I even started my gratitude journey through journaling.
Easy Ways to Celebrate
My goal in celebrating my husband isn’t to shower him with gifts. I want my son to learn the value of simple actions and how they convey our feelings for someone special.
I’m sharing ideas from our household that are affordable and kid friendly. My hope is you find inspiration and begin celebrating the dad in your life every day!
- Say “thank you” more often. These two words can change someone’s mood in an instant.
- Write a sweet note. This is my favorite notepad to make this task simple.
- Make a favorite meal or sweet treat “just because.”
- Order lunch delivery to their office.
- Send a sweet treat to their work team.
- Bring him coffee in the morning.
- Greet him in the driveway when he comes home or wave goodbye in the mornings.
- Ask how his fantasy sports teams are performing.
- Give him solo time with zero check-ins.
- Let him sleep-in without interruptions.
- Rub his shoulders. Even a few minutes can relieve physical stress and make him feel loved.
- Surprise him with a rare bottle of his favorite liquor.
- Complete something on their to-do list, like an oil change.
- Fill their gas tank and wash their vehicle.
- Give him extra huge and kisses; be fun and silly sometimes.
- Surprise them with a new shirt or shoes. Tip: Keep a share wish list/note on your phone so everyone can add to it.
- Invest in their hobby. This can be time, like watching their indoor soccer game, or financially, like a new golf club. If you don’t know much about their hobby (guilty!), ask them a few questions to show you’re invested in them as a person.
- Perform a household task he usually handles. Take out the trash, empty the dishwasher, put away his laundry, etc.
- “Let it go.” Let him do something his way without criticism or corrections, and don’t redo the task to perfection. *This one is tough for me as we approach tasks differently. If the end result is the same, or close enough, I leave it alone.
- Create a sign, poster, or artwork with the kids for his office or special place at home. You can rotate art with an affordable frame like this one.
- Speak positively about dad to your kids, with and without him present. Talk about dad’s special qualities and what you love about him. Encourage the kids to tell dad next time they see him.
Be Consistent
However you choose to celebrate dad, be consistent. Small actions performed regularly can be the most impactful.
>> RELATED READ :: 5 Easy-Peasy Father’s Day Crafts! <<
My number one tip is to be sincere with your actions. Whether you coparent in one home or two, celebrating dad is a positive for everyone. Keep things simple, include your kids, and have fun!
