Every Day Dads

I’d love to celebrate all the “Every Day Dads” I know and love… my dear dad who is no longer with us, my husband, Toby, who is currently showing up with our son playing pickleball on Father’s Day, my relatives, friends’ husbands, neighbors, clients and peer educators who are dads that deserve to be celebrated daily for the key role they play in showing up for the kids in their lives.

That’s it…. a one ingredient recipe for fatherhood success. Showing up.

That’s the one thing that ensures a child feels steadied, anchored and safe.

Dads being there… at the ball field, in the backyard, the carpool line, the grocery store, the story time before bed, the dinner table, the doctor’s appointment, the late night discussion over tough topics and all without a phone in hand and eyes and ears ready to see and hear the child in front of them.

A father’s presence is so precious.

“Everyday Dads” don’t have to be anything special… no need for big CEO positions, no superhero trademarks, no high and mighty platitudes. There’s minimal pressure to getting this right. It’s simple and it’s steady. It’s show up.

Really see your kids catch the tiniest moments of growth & note them.

Really hear your kids get to know what they think, what they feel, and what they desire.

Really know your kids recognize what makes them unique and what makes them yours.

Really understand your kids put yourself in their shoes seeing things from their view.

Really enjoy your kids soak up their silliness letting them know you really like them and enjoy their company.

These growing years can feel like every day is a “a year” but when you get to the end and you are looking at an impending empty nest you are going to find out these years have flown by in an instant. And knowing you spent everyday showing up you can rest easier knowing you did what you were called to do not perfectly just consistently.

Buy the Book

Giving your child everyday connections that seal up those father-child bonds and anchor them to your family and encourage them to return, and visit and remember and know that they were and continue to be loved by you their dad and every day dad,

How blessed was I to have a Dad who really showed up day after day. He was just an “Everyday Dad” doing extraordinary showing up. He told me things like, the sky’s the limit. You can be anything you want to be and his continual showing up everyday made me believe him and then pursue those things.

How blessed are my own kids to have a dad like Toby, who truly shows up for them. They count on him and his daily texts, checkpoints in, and they know that he will make the effort to seek and find them when they feel lost. Recently, our daughter was at the airport traveling for work, Toby was in the same airport and he literally went on a hunt to find her and connect. He is just an “Everyday Dad” doing extraordinary things by showing up. He’s told our kids things like… you will make mistakes but there’s always time to “try again” tomorrow. He let’s them know he’s so proud of their efforts and he’s overwhelmed by their accomplishments. He loves to spend time with them laughing, connecting through music and sports and getting to know them through each stage of their growing years. Loving them in “Everyday Dad” ways that have formed our kids.

I am so grateful for the “Everyday Dads” of the world.

Thank you, Dad, today and every day.