Super Dads

Father’s Day is proof that even dads need a little extra attention sometimes. Fathers try to appear tough and invulnerable to the world. They rarely ask for things they need, even when it means they will do without. Fathers shrug off the blows of life—fighting back the tears when by all rights they really should cry. Fathers want to appear that they are in control of every situation, even when the situation takes control of them. In short…fathers need a little help sometimes, whether they will admit it or not.

Father’s Day is an opportunity to show your dad (and significant other dads) that you love them and appreciate how hard they try to be invincible. It is also a chance to help them to draw closer to this goal by providing them with things that they need (which of course they will deny being in need of).

The very existence of Father’s Day, which has met with the approval of the United States Congress and even presidents, is proof that fathers are human. Although they may not ask for it, a few words of encouragement and appreciation can certainly make them feel super. The real magic of Father’s Day is that it is an opportunity for families to show fathers that they are as wonderful as they always try to be. 


How Father’s Day Began

Father’s Day in the United States has been around for about one hundred years in some form or another. It is derived in some ways from the introduction of Mother’s Day (which has been around in unofficial form in the United States since around 1870 with the efforts of Julia Ward Howe, and dating back to the 17th century in England as Mothering Sunday.

Grace Golden Clayton (1908)
The first story about the creation of Father’s Day occurred in 1908 in West Virginia. A woman named Grace Golden Clayton felt a need to honor fathers due to the tragic events of her father’s death in 1896 and a tragic mine explosion in Monongah that killed over 360 men in 1907. Mrs. Clayton had been grieving the loss of her father, and now many others were abruptly compelled to grieve also for their fathers. She consulted with her pastor at Williams Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church South and requested a day to be observed in honor of fathers. She had suggested to hold the service on a date close to the anniversary of her father’s death (July 8, 1896). Her request was honored and the service took place on July 5, 1908.


Sonora Smart Dodd (1910)
A second story about the origin of Father’s Day occurred only two years later in Spokane, Washington in 1910, with Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd. Her father, a Civil War Veteran,  raised six children on his own after the death of his wife. Sonora Dodd was inspired by the story of Anna Jarvis(who is credited by many for the establishment of Mother’s Day) and the efforts she made by writing to influential politicians and others in the community to organize Mother’s Day. Sonora Dodd created her own campaign for fathers day and was successful in creating a local observance in Spokane, Washington in 1910.


Political Influence on Father's Day

Although support for Father’s Day was slow to gain strong backing in the political arena, it was an issue that kept coming up through the years in light of Mother’s Day observance. It didn’t seem right to have a Mother’s Day without a Father’s Day. The observance of Father’s Day had caught on with the public and it was not simply going to disappear.

Here is a summary of the political events that transpired through the 20th century in the establishment of Father’s Day:

The result of the efforts of caring families and political processes was that Father’s Day became a national holiday that is observed every year in the United States.


How to Observe Father’s Day

Love and Appreciation
The most important thing to give a father on Father’s Day is the love and appreciation of his family. Although fathers generally present the super-hero image, they truly are human underneath that hard metallic exterior. Don’t believe for a second that an “I love you” will fail to break through a father’s shielding. Genuine expressions of love for a father go straight to the heart.

Do Something Nice
Father’s Day is also a day to do something nice for dad. Any surprise from breakfast in bed, to mowing the lawn for him can make a father feel appreciated and loved. It is always a good idea to find ways to make things easier and more enjoyable for dad on Father’s Day.

Food
Food is another way to reach a father’s heart—as you probably know, “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” Make dad a special meal or a treat that he really enjoys. So what if it’s fattening…It’s Father’s Day for goodness sake (take him with you for a run later if you’re feeling guilty)!

Gift of Personal Expression
Gift giving is also traditional on Father’s Day. It is frequently said that “fathers are the hardest to shop for, but shopping is not always necessary. Don’t be embarrassed to give your dad a card of your own creation, a short poem, or a nice letter. Any personal expression will mean more than pair of socks or a box of golf balls (well at least to most fathers). Never be afraid to give something from your heart if you want it to reach his.

A Gift Dad Needs
If you can’t resist buying a gift, try to buy dad something he needs. This is not as hard as it sounds. Ask your mother or someone who knows what he really needs. Think about what he likes to do, and get him something for one of his hobbies. Get him something he has been needing, but hasn't bought yet. Gadgets are frequently appealing to dads, and there is always something new coming out that will likely suit dad’s needs.

Visit, or Send a Card, or Call
Above all, families should spend time with their fathers on Father’s Day. Not every father will act mushy about it, but there is nothing a dad can appreciate more than spending time with his family on Father’s Day. If you are unable to pay a personal visit on Father’s Day, be sure to send a card, make a phone call, or both.

Father’s Day is a day to show fathers how much they are appreciated. It is a day to treat fathers as human, even though you know they are super-human. Father’s Day is an opportunity to let fathers know how special they are—no matter how embarrassing it may be. Father’s Day is a day to assure fathers that you truly think they are as wonderful as they always try to be.

Try our Father's Day Treat:
"Peanut Butter Mini-Chip Cookies" Recipe
Don't eat them all yourself before Dad gets some!

- Article by Wes Fessler

Sources:

1. Meighen, D.D. Rev, cumccv.org,  “Father’s Day”
http://www.cumcwv.org/FathersDay.stm

2. Mc Elroy, Wendy, independent.org,  “The Birth of Father’s Day”
http://independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=1985  [Accessed 26 July 2007]

3. holidays.caboose.com,  “All About Father’s Day”
http://holidays.kaboose.com/fathers-day/history/dad-about.html  [Accessed 26 July 2007]

4. Smith, Vicki, wvculture.org,  “First Father’s Day Service”
http://www.wvculture.org/HiStory/miscellaneous/fathersday02.html
[Accessed 26 July 2007]

5. Koon, Thomas,  wvculture.org,  “The First Father’s Day”
http://www.wvculture.org/goldenseal/fathersday.html  [Accessed 26 July 2007]

6. Sicard, Cheri,  seedsofknowledge.com,  “Old Fashioned Holidays
http://www.seedsofknowledge.com/hoidays/fathersday.html 
[Accessed 25 July 2007]

7. infoplease.com,  “Timeline of Father’s Day History”
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/fathersdayhist.html  [Accessed 25 July 2007]

8. en.wikipedia.org,  “Father’s Day”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father’s_day  [Accessed 25 July 2007]

9. mothersdaycelebration.com,  “Story of Julia Ward Howe”
http://www.mothersdaycelebration.com/story-of-julia-ward-howe.html
[Accessed 26 July 2007]

10. Bard, Chris,  bbc.co.uk,  “Mothering Sunday – A Hisstory”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/essex/features/mothering_sunday_2005/
mothering_sunday_history.shtml  [Accessed 26 July 2007]