I’m dying to know: Do you write handwritten cards or are you more of the phone call type? For me, I love sending snail mail with little notes inside. Why do I ask? Because today, I’m sending a card to my father-in-law, who lives across the country, to express my gratitude, and I think you should, too!
‘Dad’ may go by several different names, but one thing’s for sure - he’s had your hand, and he’s got your back. The monster chaser, the joke teller, the dream supporter. Whether you’re doing it by phone or by mail, I hope you take this opportunity to tell someone you love them.
So in celebration of dads and their infinite wisdom, how about some unsolicited advice? I don’t claim to be an expert, but I know how to make a great honey-do list. And more than a few times, I’ve felt as if I was scrambling to come up with ideas after a change in plans, so for you last-minute planners, here’s how to love him up:
MAKE NEW MEMORIES
1. Break out the albums - whether physical photo albums, or scrolling through your phone, reminisce on your younger years and rediscover long-lost memories
2. Take a photo - (a must-do at our house) to see how you grow and change from year to year as a family
3. Put on a show - set up a stage, sing a song, tell your best dad jokes, act out a skit or do a ditty; costumes optional
4. Get sappy - write a love letter, make a card, get the babes to add their ‘mark’ to it and tell him just what you love about him
5. Do a project together - whether building a birdhouse or crushing a science experiment, find something with a finish line you can cross together
6. Family-friendly competition - minute-to-win-it style, or board games, bond over some friendly games
GET SOME AIR
7. Backyard games - cornhole, ring toss, horseshoes, croquet, kub, hide-and-seek, have a relay race, make an obstacle course
8. Water activities - break out the kiddie pool, sprinklers or squirters, water balloons, things to cool you off
9. Take a stroll - go for a walk or a bike ride, hit up the trails for a hike, fly a kite
10. Backyard picnic - grab his favorite snacks and refreshments, throw out a blanket, and enjoy the breeze
11. After dark - search the sky for constellations, catch lightning bugs, tell campfire stories, or better yet, laugh together while you sing campfire songs
FEED THE APPETITE
12. Play chef - give him a break from the grill, and whip up his favorite meal, snacks, or dessert
13. Unexpected treats - surprise him with breakfast in bed, with brunch, or his favorite treat at an unexpected hour (butter pecan ice cream for breakfast, anyone?)
14. Plan a beverage tasting - beer, wine, whatever his cup of tea; add in different options for the kids like different brands of root beer, juice, or cream soda
15. Plan a food tasting - pick up or make his favorite food in different ways - potato skins topped with bacon, with chili, twice baked; s’mores with good-ole graham crackers, with peanut butter oreos, with fudge stripes
16. Chopped challenge - pick mystery ingredients for a snack together
MAKE TIME TO RELAX TOGETHER
17. Make a playlist - his favorite tunes, his oldies, the song you dance to, some new ones he might like, or come up with a theme song
18. Watch his favorite movie - pop the corn, turn out the lights, and cozy up
