Dads

 What did one ocean say to the other? Nothing, they just waved! Dad's jokes are so dumb but so funny. Why is having your father present in your life important? There are many reasons, from being a provider to being a comedic relief. 

Men usually get a better paycheck, meaning they are the main provider most times. This is not always true, but we are taught that men should do their part by providing, while women take care of the home. The way that a man’s brain is wired is very one-track- minded, which is good for many jobs, so they can focus on their job. Women, on the other hand, think about many things at the same time. It can be good to remember things and check on the children. Again, this is not the same for everyone.

The dictionary definition of a father is“ a man in relation to his child/children” but they are so much more. They teach us many things, from how to change a tire to being brave and squishing the yucky spider in the kitchen. They teach us how to drive a car and how to safely operate a gun. In short, they are some perfect teachers of common sense and figuring things out.

Mothers are also good teachers of how to take care of yourself and others. How to be kind and patient with others. It seems that only one parent is needed to teach us all the things that we need in life, right? Wrong, both parents are needed. Each parent teaches us different things that are vital in our lives. 

Depending on the job, it seems like your father isn’t at home enough to teach you much, but you learn most from the little moments in life. Some of my best memories are also when I learned the most. Some of the worst memories taught me a lot too. Now fathers are not just teachers, they show us how to have fun. 

Fathers show us how to be silly and laugh hard. Mothers can be funny too, but they are much calmer about their fun. Fathers are very chaotic when they have fun, throwing the kids in the air, roughhousing and running through the house. I remember when my family had a water gun war in the house. It showed me that there is time for play, but you need to clean up whatever big mess you made when you are done.

My father made sure I knew how to be responsible, by giving me lots of chores around the ranch. I had to get my chores done while it was light out. If I didn't, I had to go at night when it was cold and scary. As a little kid, the Montanan nights were very scary. Wolves, coyotes and who knows what other creatures were lurking outside in the dark. I learned to get everything done at a reasonable time and did them all every day. I can confidently say that I am responsible and capable of living on my own, for the most part.

I am very grateful that my father and mother were both able to be present in my life. I have learned lots from both of them about how to survive and take care of myself. Furthermore, I would not know as much if I didn't have them both. I feel bad for those that don't have the opportunity to have both parents, but even worse for those that willingly don't listen to the knowledge that their parents have to offer them. I hope that my future husband will be able to teach our kids what they will need to succeed.