The ideal Father’s Day gifts

MANILA, Philippines – Just like many other holidays, Father’s Day has turned into a marketing byline. Year in and year out, there is increasing pressure on wives and children to come up with the perfect gift.

But what is the “perfect gift” anyway? It could mean different things to different people.

For a techie, it could be the latest smartphone. For an OFW, it could be a simple meal as one happy family. I chose these contrasting examples to highlight the fact that the definition of a perfect gift could be highly relative and, therefore, elusive.

The most convenient way to come up with the “perfect gift,” of course, would be to buy something. It’s an accepted symbol of celebration and, in the proper circumstances, could be quite appropriate.

But oftentimes, material gifts will provide only temporary satisfaction before being stashed away or thrown out.

Let us, for argument’s sake, disallow anything that can be purchased as a Father’s Day gift and determine whether there are universal gifts that dads could appreciate, no matter what their circumstances are.

If I were given the chance to choose a Father’s Day gift, any one of these would, in my mind, be ideal.

The ideal gifts

1. Fortitude

In light of the many internal and external adversities fathers face while protecting their families, may they be given the strength to not only survive these hardships, but conquer them.

2. Patience

It takes children years to fully mature into responsible adults. May fathers have the patience to guide and nurture them through their formative years without ever giving up on their kids.

3. Discipline

Children shouldn’t be spoiled. Here’s wishing for fathers the wisdom to judge between what’s right and wrong, and the strength of will to be objective and fair disciplinarians to their kids to hopefully raise them into respectable adults.

4. Compassion

That said, fathers should also be kind and compassionate. May fathers have the empathy to tap their own memories as young kids and seek to understand their children more, no matter how difficult it may be.

4. Responsibility

Being a father takes a lot of hard work. I wish that fathers would be gifted with a sense of responsibility and understand just how important their roles are as parents – not only financially, but physically and emotionally as well.

5. Laughter

I hope that fathers also learn to loosen up and enjoy life. YOLO (or “you only live once,” my highly elementary attempt at reaching out to kids), so fathers should learn to laugh at themselves and see the humor in the everyday.

6. Trust

There will come a time when fathers have to let go of their kids. Fathers need to trust that kids will eventually learn how to stand on their own and head off into the world to be the best they can be. May fathers everywhere be given the gift of discernment to know when that time comes.

7. Teamwork

Highly controlling fathers should realize that they cannot raise their kids alone, whereas lackadaisical ones should realize that mothers should not be left to tend to the family on their own.

May fathers be given the gift of teamwork, where they happily work hand-in-hand with their wives to raise their children in the most conducive family environment they both can muster.

8. Integrity

There is no better way to teach children than to walk the talk. I wish for fathers the gift of integrity, where being true to their values and to themselves would be the perfect way to teach their children the importance of living with a strong set of principles and convictions.

9. Health and time

May fathers everywhere understand how important it is to stay healthy physically and emotionally and increase the chances of living to a ripe old age.

Not only to spend as much time as possible with their families, but to also have the time to pursue their interests and live their dreams.

10. Sense of appreciation

It is easy to get caught up in the tough responsibilities of raising a good family. May fathers be gifted with a sense of appreciation for even the tiniest of blessings that occur everyday: a child’s first steps, a surprise handwritten note from the wife, an unexpected call from a long-lost friend.

11. Love

Finally, may every father be gifted with love. May he find within himself a bottomless well of love for his family and, in return, receive love back a hundred-fold in gratitude from his wife and kids for all that he does for the family’s well-being.

This is by no means a complete list of ideal Father’s Day gifts. I’m sure you can come up with some of your own.

But if given the choice to forego the neckties, wine bottles and all other cliché gifts on every future Father’s Day in exchange for any of the gifts listed above, the choice should be crystal clear, shouldn’t it?

So, from a fellow dad who, just like you, does his darnedest best for the family’s welfare, a gift-filled Father’s Day to all you dads! – Rappler.com

 

Boy and his father tying neckties and Asian family holding hands walking over green lawn photos from Shutterstock

There is the helicopter parent, the negligent parent, and then there’s Michael Gohu Yu, a doting father one minute who transforms into Homer Simpson the next. His writing on parenting reflects themes ranging from the humorous to the heartwarming. Whichever the case, though, he always aims to entertain parents of all ages.