A father's role in a child's life has always been underrated compared to that of a mother. While it is true that many families survive or even flourish without a man in the house, it will not be correct to say that fathers do not play a significant role in a child's holistic development. The role of a father definitely goes beyond procreation and here's why.

Fathers and mothers are given the joint task of molding their children to become adults who will contribute to society and not be a burden. This task in itself is so complex that leaving it to the  mother alone is unthinkable especially if the father is physically present. Here is what's happening in our own household.

The Good Cop

In the common parenting strategy "Good Cop, Bad Cop" where one parent adopts a sympathetic stand while the other adopts the stricter stance, I often find myself playing the latter. This is mainly because of my husband's sense of humor. He has always been a natural playmate to our kids. He is their perfect companion when it comes to adventures and having fun. Sometimes, he even "lawyers" for our kids in our discussions whether to allow them to go with their friends or not. He gives the balance needed for my rather serious personality especially when it comes to parenting.



A Father in the Real Sense of the Word

What I am most thankful for however is his utmost dedication in caring for our children. He does not classify housework by gender. He knows no limits when it comes to serving and giving.



The Gift of Presence

From the time our first born came, my husband has gifted us with the gift of presence and availability. Everything else is secondary to our family. To my mind there is nothing as valuable as this. His gift to us is never easy to match but we try.




Finding a Gift

Finding a gift for my husband is always a big challenge. He would prefer not to have any so that the needs of our kids can be taken cared of, so we stopped asking. From then on, my children and I would try to come up with gifts he can truly appreciate. We had some recent interesting finds at Gifts Less Ordinary which we think suits his personality best. The Comic Bookends are just perfect for the child in him while the solid Wooden Carving Board would be a source of joy for this man who really loves to cook.



My Say

Material gifts cannot compensate for the love given wholeheartedly by a father. That is why whenever we give one to my husband, it is always with the message of true appreciation regardless of the cost.

That said, I enjoin everyone to honor the man of the home, not only because he provides for the family, not only because it is Father's Day, not only because it is what other people are doing, but mainly to acknowledge an extraordinary man who chooses to be a  real father.