Forget about the flailing economy, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, and other international and domestic upheavals, according to President Barack Obama, being a father to his two young daughters is one of his toughest jobs… but also the most rewarding.
In honor of Father’s Day, the president devoted his Saturday radio and Internet address to fatherhood, and didn’t shy away from speaking about his own perceived failings as dad to daughters Malia, 12, and Sasha, 10. Obama also spoke about growing up without his own father.
“I felt his absence. And I wonder what my life would have been like had he been a greater presence,” the president said in his radio spot. “That’s why I’ve tried so hard to be a good dad for my own children. I haven’t always succeeded, of course – in the past, my job has kept me away from home more often than I liked, and the burden of raising two young girls would sometimes fall too heavily on Michelle.”
Upon hearing this I instantly thought of an interview Oprah Winfrey conducted with First Lady Michelle Obama before she ended her reign as daytime talk show queen. In it Mrs. Obama reflected on the importance of moms finding ways to strengthen the relationship between them and the man their kids call “Dad.”
While some male co-parents truly don’t deserve a lick of credit for doing anything positive when it comes to rearing their offspring, most dads could use a break every once in a while. Not a pass from doing the dishes or taking out the trash, but a few outward signs of respect and appreciation for being the best version of a dad he is capable of.
So, if you are looking for an inexpensive gift to bestow upon your child’s father today-—one that will last much longer than a bucket of golf tees or a six-pack of Bud—-then consider readjusting your expectations. Perhaps you expect your child’s dad to wash the dishes after you’ve cooked a four-course meal or help put away the laundry you washed and folded. However, you will drive yourself to the brink of insanity if you assume he’ll figure out that’s what you expect him to do without actually discussing and coming to an agreement about how he should chip in around the house. What may seem like a perfectly reasonable expectation to you may be completely foreign to him.
This Father’s Day consider adjusting your expectation of the man your kids call “Dad,” believe in his abilities to parent, even if they differ from yours, and accept that no one is perfect. If you find it hard to do for a lifetime, then at least try it for the day.
Related Articles:
Can Parents Ever Get It Right?
Becoming the Mom You Never Thought You’d Be
Has Becoming a Parent Made You a Better Person?