Are our fathers getting short-sheeted in the holiday happenings department? Probably. br
We know it’s not all about money, but…according to the National Retail Federation, Americans spend half as much on gifts for Father’s Day as they do on Mother’s Day. But wait—it gets worse: What do you think is the number-one top gift we have planned for dear old dad? A card. Pretty lame.
And what does dad want? Top gift: quality time with the kids and family; Second: gift cards; and third: it’s a tie between retreat to a man cave and a card.
This is based on a survey conducted by Visiting Angels, the nation’s leading provider of non-medical senior home care services, and an organization that knows a lot about taking good care of parents.
The survey also revealed that 52 percent of adult children sometimes feel they take their dads for granted, because: (1) Families expect so much from dad; (2) Dads aren’t as vocal about their needs and accomplishments; and (3) Mom seems to get all the attention.
Three out of four adult children, however, say they plan to visit their dad this weekend because…
∙ They love him and want to spend time with him (86 percent)
∙ They want to set a good example for their kids (58 percent)
∙ It’s one of the few times they see him each year because they are so busy (20 percent)
Let’s not forget, however, that Father’s Day is one of those “Hallmark holidays” seemingly created for the purposes of commerce. So this year, try doing something genuine for your father—take care of a chore he dislikes; take him to a restaurant he enjoys (a night without hummus won’t kill you, and you do love those bloomin’ onions); get a haircut; drive up to Gettysburg with him and pretend it’s the first time you’ve heard the story of Joshua Chamberlain; or go to the batting cages and cheer him on.
--Sarah Hagerty
