The ONE THING Fathers Want on Father's Day

This year, we celebrate Father's Day on June 21, 2009. Being a Dad, I wanted to write today about what I want from Father's Day. Then I realized I wasn't sure what to write about! I couldn't believe it!

Pressing on, I confessed to myself that hugs and appreciation from my family will be great enough for me.


But then maybe it is just me who wanted that, I thought. So, I sent a question to friends of mine who are also Dads...

"What ONE THING would you want on Father's Day?"

I got a handful of responses, all of them very interesting.

See which ones resonate with you or with your father.

FATHERS WANT TIME WITH FAMILY ON FATHER'S DAY

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="354" caption="Time with Family on Father's Day. Copyright Edupics.com"][/caption]

• More time with my boys. Just to play and hang out. I do have time for them, but I want more (Bo Sanchez, Preacher/Author/Entrepreneur, Paranaque)
• I would say a hassle free overnight stay in a beach resort with the whole family (Peter Q, medical doctor, Cagayan de Oro City)
• Go out and have a picnic in a nature's place like Luneta's chinese green garden (Jess R, real estate entrepreneur, Makati City)
• To spend time with my wife, children and apo (Ben G, printing business owner, Quezon City)
• A whole day with the whole family celebrating MY DAY! An event that will allow us to relish the joys being blessed by God with the gift of FAMILY! (Bob P, auto repair shop business owner, Quezon City)
• My child would treat me out of his savings kahit na snaks lang. Giving child (Nino T, entrepreneur, San Juan MM)
• One thing I want for Father's Day - Just a whole day of fun with my family (Edwin P, Corporate Executive, Bulacan)
• On Father's Day, a family outing together is a good way to celebrate (Rey M., bank officer, Cagayan de Oro City)
• A family outing is great for me in celebrating the occasion (Glenn L, accountant, San Juan MM)
• Time (Eduardo Q, senior army officer)

FATHERS ALSO APPRECIATE GIFTS ON FATHER'S DAY

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="355" caption="Fathers Want Gifts on Father's Day. Copyright Edupics.com"][/caption]

• .... kung sa object, mas ma appreciate ko a good Book, mura pa (Jerome M, Calamba City)
• Books that I like (Vince B, Sales Agent, San Juan MM)
• Necktie (Isko M, Quezon City)
• A Canon Digital Camera PowerShot SX1 IS, to capture every exciting moment :) (Reinier N, entrepreneur, Manila)

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="586" caption="Canon PowerShot SX1 IS"][/caption]

• I want a Porsche 911 (Chris B, corporate executive, Paranaque Metro Manila)
• Vroom-vroom akong gusto! (Jomari F, USA)
• brand new laptop (j.d.)
• What I want for me is a business opportunity (John A, entrepreneur, Cagayan de Oro City)

FATHERS WANT HUGS AND AFFECTION

• a hug from members of my family (Sonny V, life coach, Makati City)
• not so much on material pero gusto treat ako ng mga kids ko like King for that day, lambing ba and from my wife...super lambing, ligo ba... (Jerome M, wholesale trader, Calamba City)
• a tight hug from my kid and wife affirming i am being loved (Jan C, contractor, Quezon City)
• Kisses and big hugs from my kids and many I love you's (Bjorn M, Executive Coach, Makati)
• Love (Mendel C, entrepreneur, USA)

FATHERS WANT APPRECIATION

• Hello!, how I wish that all my good works be appreciated naman on Father's Day (Armand F, CPA, Quezon City)

FATHERS WANT TO RELAX, HAVE GOOD HEALTH AND PEACE OF MIND

• time ... to sleep and watch a home video (Peter T, medical doctor, Cagayan de Oro City)
• good health (Mandy L, entrepreneur, Quezon City)
• good health and peace of mind (Tony N, corporate executive, laguna)
• Good Health for the whole family (jon z, corporate exec, U.S.A.)
• good health and peace of mind (Rady A, corporate exec, U.S.A.)

There were also responses which I could not categorize under any of the above. But they all come from fathers with selfless outlook of their fatherhood

• all my kids are girls. just the same all fathers wish d same for their kids...self-reliance, self-confidence, diligence, integrity (Manny C, retired CPA, Quezon City)
• that I may be the best father that I can be to my family on this day! NAKS DRAMA NO BROD!? (Eugene P, entrepreneur, Pasig City)

Lastly, but definitely not the least, this one made me pause and think...

• On Father's Day, we have a ceremony of forgiveness of men and women who abuse each other (Adrian Sison, Family Lawyer)

Indeed, all of the things mentioned above will have difficult time happening unless there is forgiveness within the family.

So, what's in it for the rest of us?

Now we have an indication of how to let fathers feel special on Father's Day. It appears that, at least in my circle, most fathers just want to have either time with the family on Father's Day or affection--through kisses and hugs--on that day.

Think twice about giving gifts to fathers (again at least in my circle), coz it won't come cheap. Even books are not that cheap.

Having all that, we ask, what really now is Father's Day? How should we celebrate it?

Our boys today will be the fathers of the future. How do you wish them to celebrate it?

May your son model you rightly.


Marvin
RaisingFilipinoBoys.com

P.S. #1 The Philippines is one of more than 50 countries (USA and Canada included) that celebrate Father's Day on the 3rd Sunday of June. Other countries celebrate Father's Day on other days.

P.S. #2. The Philippines is not the only country that sends jokes about fathers on Father's Day. Check out Wikipedia. We've gone a long way since 1908 when Father's Day started. It's time to give this day some cool meaning that make Dads really proud and happy.