On Sunday, families will take time to celebrate Father’s Day and recognize the love, commitment, and sacrifices dads make throughout the year.
While the love we have for our dads is endless, your dedication is still underappreciated. We can’t thank you enough for caring for us, encouraging us, teaching us, and inspiring us. You deserve a special day that is all about you and the contributions you so lovingly make to your family.
Of course, if you’re a divorced dad, this annual holiday is not always so happy. You might be in the midst of a custody battle and forced to spend the day apart from the children you love so dearly.
That is unquestionably a difficult situation and it is only natural to feel some heartache. But always keep in mind that a divorced dad is still a dad and the role you play in your kids’ lives is still essential to their well-being. By reframing your approach to this day you can gain a new perspective on what it means to be a dad and that will help you become an even better father than you already are.
In anticipation of Father’s Day weekend, the team at DadsDivorce wanted to point out some of the things we appreciate the most about our dads.
Dads connect in unique ways
Just like mothers, dads undergo hormonal changes that increase their levels of empathy and motivation to take care of their children. While the biochemical changes that occur during fatherhood in some ways mirror the process moms go through after childbirth, the manner in which fathers foster bonds with their children tends to be unique.
Traditionally, it’s been common for dads to use sports as a way to develop common ground with their children. Playing a game of catch with Dad in the front yard is a rite of passage.
Younger dads, especially those in the millennial demographic, are coming up with all kinds of creative new ways to connect with their sons and daughters.
However it is that you bond with your children, the point is that you’re doing whatever you can build a deeper relationship. The result is that you empower and uplift your child.
Being ‘Dad’ is central to your identity
In previous generations, fathers took on a sort of secondary role as a parent. Dad had the job and was the breadwinner. Mom stayed home and handled household chores and taking care of the kids.
That’s no longer the case as there is a much more even split when it comes to when it comes to who does what in the house.
Moreover, today’s dads are much more willing to embrace fatherhood as a central part of their identity than previous generations of fathers. According to a TODAY survey, 75% of dads call fatherhood their “most important job.”
The fatherless epidemic is a serious problem in the United States, but it is an encouraging trend to see so many dads who realize how important it is to be actively involved and emotionally engaged with their children.
We can count on Dad
Perhaps the most endearing trait that fathers seem to possess is their simplest one: they’re always there when we need them.
He might be underappreciated and overlooked far more than he ever should be, but when the chips are down Dad shows up at just the right time and provide the loving support we need.
The almost super hero-like knack dads have for swooping in and keeping us out of harm’s way was perfectly encapsulated in Hyundai’s recent Sixth Sense advertisement.
We always know we can count on Dad. From all of us at DadsDivorce, Happy Father’s Day.