Father’s Day: A Dad’s Perspective

I recently saw the new Nissan Altima commercial about a couple welcoming their first child into the world. In the video the newby dad is portrayed as timid, shy and completely unsure of his role as husband and new father. When his wife is wheeled off to labor & delivery he’s stuck with three bags slung over his shoulders, pillows under his arm and a puppy dog look on his face. As his wife is pushed into the crammed elevator, he can’t fit in and he makes no attempt to squeeze in or dash to the stairs to meet her at her room. He stands in the background as his wife grunts, screams and pushes out their child and then shyly tries to take the baby as it is whisked off to the nursery. Throughout the entire commercial the song, “What A Man” by Salt-n- Peppa plays in the background. Finally his redemption comes at the end when his wife hesitantly hands him the baby and he gets to put it into the car seat. When he does so the commercial states, “For dad’s first job as dad…” and it goes on to tout Nissan’s car seat safety features.

In the end it’s a comical commercial but it’s also way off base. For many, a dad’s role starts well before they’re buckling their baby into a car seat for the first time. In fact, having been the ones wheeling their wives into labor & delivery, holding her hand the entire time during delivery and making sure they were the first ones who held their baby, some dad’s out there may be ticked by the implications of this Nissan commercial, but at the end of the day, Nissan kind of has a point – sometimes dad’s just don’t get the love, or the voice they should. Sometimes they are stuck in the background and it’s our job as wives and girlfriends to bring them to the light. So, in honor of Father’s Day, Jacksonville Mom’s Blog wants to give dad his voice back and give him the opportunity to tell us what Father’s Day means to him, or anything else he’s been wanting to say since your little ones were born. Below are a few posts from the husbands of our own JMB contributors.

A Few Sweet Words from Dad

I’ve often heard moms or dads say the gift they really want for Mother’s Day or Father’s Day is a day off from their kids. I’ve never really agreed with that sentiment but never as much as I do this year. I’m in the military and I deployed right after Father’s Day last year and will be deployed through the holiday this year and I miss my children dearly. I’ll agree that we all need time away from them and I’m sure that we could all do a better job and providing more of that time for our better halves. But I can think of nothing I want more for Father’s Day especially this year, than to be with my girls. I encourage everyone to spend their Mother’s Days and Father’s Days celebrating with those that make you a Mother or Father. You may not always have that luxury. – Tommy Morrow

For me, fatherhood is about watching my children explore the world around them. I try to guide them as they learn and pick them up when they fall. It amazes me everyday how both Brendan and Audrey have such distinct personalities. This year on Father’s Day, I plan on spending the day with my little ones and really tune in to who my children are becoming.

For the last few years, it’s always been about me and my little guy, Brendan. Teaching him about the Jaguars, pirate adventures, and proper pillow fort building techniques. He is my tiny adventurer who insists on drawing maps and finding treasure. This Sunday will no doubt be full of treasure hunting.

This year I also get to celebrate with my little Audrey too! She’s the puzzle piece that I didn’t know I was missing, but fits perfectly in my arms. A tenacious little goof ball that’s already starting to push her big brother around. If I had to guess, her journey will include tea parties and ballet. Whoever they become and whatever they choose to do, I hope I am as much of a positive influence on them as they are on me. – John Lane

Celebrating just my third father’s day, I am hardly a veteran. In fact, I’ve always seen this holiday as a time to honor my father and the other dads that play such important roles. These men have it all together and influence our lives in so many ways. But this year, it hit me. I am a father.

Looking back, the whole baby experience is such a blur. Coming home from the hospital the magnitude of parenthood slowly starts to sink in. A nice hefty amount of responsibility. Like it or not, we have a huge impact on the lives of these children. The challenge now is to make sure this influence is positive. It’s easy to get caught in the tedium of fatherhood. Changing diapers, installing car seats and running on very little sleep. And we can’t forget how important it is to keep Mommy happy too. We’re just thrown into this “do-it-all” lifestyle. And until this year, being a dad is something I only admired in others. How can these men do this every day? They don’t do it for the glory but for those tender moments they share with the child they care so much about. Good dads are truly amazing.

But wait, don’t I have that special relationship? Every ounce of effort is worth it when I see Isla play with her cousins, being courageous in the pool or when her little voice says “Go Jaguars” or “Daddy, I love you”. So now I embrace the challenge and enjoy the privilege of my influence. I plan to treat every day as Father’s Day because I am so blessed someone calls me Daddy. – Paul Pugh

As a child, I probably viewed mother’s day and father’s day more as an obligation. Like many kids, I never really appreciated my parents unwavering commitment until I grew older. Not that I expect much different from my children, because let’s face it, the old saying that you don’t appreciate your parents until you become one, likely will never change. That said, I hope to at the minimum to make the celebration of us as parents a fun tradition that becomes a staple as the calendar turns each May and June. To me, father’s day is the opportunity for me to relish the great fortune that is my family. Why not spend it each year fishing or picnicking? In the end, it’s an opportunity for all of us father’s out there to reflect on how auspicious and inspiring it is to be called ‘Dad’. – Matt Collins

From everybody here at Jacksonville Moms Blog we hope every dad out there has a Happy Father’s Day and gets the recognition he deserves!