Give Dad What he Really Wants this Father’s Day!

Fathers Day is around the corner! Check out these tips to celebrate the special day and make the man in your life feel extra awesome and MANLY!

Poor Dad! Every year around this time tiny secret Santa’s start perusing the stores and the internet for the perfect gift for Dad. Between ties and useless electronics or accessories for the grille, it seems there really is no easy way to properly thank or please the man in your life. And while he may look excited about the personalized photo tie or coffee mug – what he really wants is a day to relax! With a house full of kids, that may seem like a far stretched fantasy, but the truth is that YOU can make it happen.

If your kids are little, remember that planning the perfect family picnic or outing for the day will more than likely be more stressful than its worth. Allow your kids to make dad breakfast in bed. Hand him their hand made cards (he will happy you didn’t spend money) and let the kiddos brag about their artistic impressions. Then instead of buying dad a golf shirt – let him off the hook to actually go and play. Gather up the other dads in your family and send them all off for the afternoon. If golf isn’t their thing, then a fishing trip with just the guys or a late morning motorcycle ride may be just the thing. While the men are away, the women can plan an easy barbeque, complete with dad’s favorite foods for a mess free and easy evening.

One thing you might want to consider, especially with very young children who don’t know a whole lot about Father’s day yet is to plan something special and sexy for you and your husband. Cart the kids to Grandpas’s house and instead of spending money on cheesy gifts – rent a hotel room or go to a favorite (all grown up) restaurant. Instead of buying him a gift, have him open a carefully wrapped bag of some sexy lingerie. Remember, that long before your husband became a father – the two of you were CRAZY about each other. Very few men would feel cheated to celebrate Father’s Day with their wife (without the kids) at least for a little while.
If you are deadest on getting a gift, then try to choose something non-cliché that matches his personal interests. Don’t think that handing him the latest Dora the Explorers made for DVD movie is going to start any fireworks. Instead, try to sort back through your file and remember all the things that your husband loves to do. A Grateful Dead CD or a DVD of his favorite movie is a great gift idea. If you look for something personal that resonates with his interests, you are also giving your kids a chance to know their father as you do. If he has a hobby that you don’t know much about, ask some of his buddies for advice and chances are you will come up with the perfect gift. Remember as well that just because you hate baseball, doesn’t mean that spending Father’s Day with the family at the Dodgers came won’t please your husband.

The fathers in our lives – whether they are our brothers, uncles, in-laws, nephews, or dads have a truly positive and lasting effect on our lives. Often, women are the ones credited for raising children and nurturing them. That being said, there is nothing quite as nice as seeing a big, strong man playing dolls with his toddler daughter on the living room floor. While they may not do everything they way you do, or the way you would like them to – make sure that you take every stride necessary to make Father’s Day special. It really isn’t about the gifts, but about letting him know just how special and meaningful he is in your and your children’s lives. Above all – enjoy the day! In just a few Father’s Day from now, your children may not be able to come home to celebrate!