Nowadays as Father’s Day draws near, picture frames with fishing poles and sports memorabilia pop up in every store, and gift certificate sales for Bass Pro Shop skyrocket. But when I was a kid, it was more common to make homemade cards or cheesy poems, or maybe even offer to mow the yard. Which is what I did until the year my dad bought himself a self propelled push mower. I pulled the starter and that rascal propelled both of us into my dad’s truck, rendering the mower firmly jammed into the exhaust. I was no longer allowed to mow.
Another Father’s Day that I remember vividly is the time I bought my dad cheesecloth at the store. I had read in Reader’s Digest, which my dad kept stacked in the bathroom, that this particular type of fabric had oodles of uses. It thought it was the perfect thing. My dad was definitely shocked when he opened his gift from me and chuckled for days when I recited all the uses Reader’s Digest claimed it had. Yes, I was THAT kid. This year, I decided I would interview a handful of children to see how well they knew their dad and what all they could tell me about him. Here are some of the highlights:
What is something your dad says all of the time? (Most common answer: Bad words.)
“No.” – Makenna, 7
“How was practice?” – Rilee, 13
“I’m going to the gym.” Brynnan, 9
“Believe in yourself.” – Anari, 9
“My back hurts.” – Braden, 6
“Pull my finger.” – Raff, 8
How would you describe your dad? (Most common answer: Bald.)
“Strong.” – Rylee, 13
“Optimistic.” – Anari, 9
“Hardworking.” – Brayden, 12
“Really cool.” – Raff, 8
“Gassy.” – Kaylee, 12
What is something you see your dad doing most of the time? (Most common answer: Watching TV.)
“Making dinner.” – Brayden, 12
“Sitting down.” – Jaxon, 5
“Playing video games.” – Raff, 8
“Wearing black shirts.” – Avery, 4
“Going to the bathroom.” – Braden, 6
What is something you wish your dad did more of? (Most common answer: Play with me.)
“Do more fun stuff on the weekends.” – Anari, 9
“Take me more places.” – Hayden, 12
“Did my chores for me.” – Brayden, 12
“Spray the air freshener when he’s done in the bathroom.” – Kaylee, 12
What is your dad’s favorite food?
(Most common answer: Beer.)
“Tuna fish.” – Avery, 4
“McDonald’s.” – Makenna, 7
“Protein bars.” – Rylee, 13
“Ice cream.” – Anari, 9
“Taco Villa.” – Brynnan, 9
“Meat.” – Raff, 8
What does your dad do to relax?
(Most common answer: Mow the yard.)
“Plays with a robot.” – Avery, 4
“Goes shopping.” – Rylee, 13
“Plays golf.” – Brynnan, 9
“Goes out in nature.” – Anari, 9
“Eats sushi.” – Brayden, 12
“Takes a nap.” – Raff, 8
“Gets on his computer.” – Isobel, 3
What does your dad do at his job? What do you think he spends most of his money on? (Most common answer: Buys stuff that goes in the garage.)
“Works on trucks. He spends it on mommy.” – Avery, 4
“Gives money to people. He spends it at the gym.” – Brynnan, 9
“Owns a company. He spends it mostly on our family.” – Anari, 9
“He works at the power plant. He buys a lot of toys all the time.” – Isobel, 3
Does your dad go grocery shopping? What is something you see him buying at the store most often? (Most common answer: No.)
“Candy.” – Avery, 4
“Chocolate milk.” – Makenna, 7
“Cereal.” – Brynnan, 9
“Eggs. He’s always buying eggs.” –
Anari, 9
“Formula for my baby brother.” –
Brayden, 12
If you could tell your dad something right now, what would you say?
“I love you.” – Every kid I interviewed.
Kid's perspective on dear old dad
