Father’s Day is a time to honor the men who are important to them. For children, it’s an opportunity to express gratitude for their fathers and father figures. For adults, it’s an opportunity to demonstrate how that they appreciate and love the sacrifices of husbands and fathers throughout their life. While we all celebrate Father’s Day, we may not be aware of the background of this custom. It’s surprising that this holiday was not widely popular initially. Over time, however people began to accept the notion of the impact fathers had on their families, particularly in the lives of their children.
What is the reason we celebrate Father’s Day?
As per the History Channel, Sonora Smart Dodd, a woman who was from Spokane, Washington, was the original founder of Father’s Day. She was the sixth of six children who were raised by her father who was widowed. Her mother had passed away during when she had her 6th child. After Mother’s Day was established in 1908, Sonora Smart Dodd wanted to create a similar holiday for fathers. To spread her vision of honoring fathers on an entire time, Sonora visited local churches as well as the YMCA and spoke to shopkeepers as well as government officials to garner support for the new tradition. Through her tireless efforts, Sonora found success when Washington State celebrated the first Father’s Day on June 19 1910.
While Mother’s Day gained momentum right away, it took several years to Father’s Day to be nationally recognized as a day of celebration. The years 1916-1924 were the first when both Presidents Wilson as well as Calvin Coolidge showed support for Father’s Day. The president Coolidge even advised the state governments to observe the holiday. It wasn’t until several decades after the day Father’s Day would be recognized as an official national holiday. In 1966 the year of the president Lyndon B. Johnson signed an executive order naming the third Sunday of the month of June to be Father’s Day. In 1972 Nixon took office, Nixon eventually established a permanent national holiday of Father’s Day.
One of the reasons it took this long Father’s Day to become a national holiday was due to an absence of support among males. A lot of men believed that the traditions of giving gifts and flower arrangements did not reflect their masculinity. Others believed that it was a method for retailers to market another holiday, and also to force families into spending more through buying gifts that were not needed. The 1920s, 1930s an organization actually tried to end Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. They argued for the replacement of these celebrations by Parent’s Day, in which both parents are honored. Despite the efforts of the movement, Mother’s Day stayed on the calendar and Father’s Day would eventually be added to the calendar of the nation.
Why should we celebrate Father’s Day?
Despite the initial controversy over Father’s Day, society has gained a greater awareness of how important fathers are. In the beginning of 1900 fathers were not given much recognition for the influence they exerted over their kids. In reality, the majority of research on parenting concentrated on mothers. In 1970, psychological researchers began acknowledging that fathers are important.
In recent studies, Psychology Today has found that “children who have an involved father are more likely to be emotionally secure, be confident to explore their surroundings, and, as they grow older, have better social connections…Numerous studies find that an active and nurturing style of fathering is associated with better verbal skills, intellectual functioning, and academic achievement among adolescents.”
The bottom line is that children who have active dads tend be well-adjusted emotionally, socially and academically. Even in times of crisis being surrounded by a parent can help children manage their behaviour and emotions more effectively than children whose fathers are not present.
Furthermore that children with absent fathers have a higher likelihood to engage in risky behaviours. This is the reason there is a demand for male teachers in elementary schools.
Although mothers have always been regarded as primary caregivers but the times are changing. More women are given many opportunities at work and fathers are getting more involved in the raising of children, rather than solely caring for the family. Fathers of today are working hard to look after their families by taking care of their family’s needs, assisting with household chores and spending time with their children.
When shopping for father’s day cards make sure you check out the Gifts To give website…
However, sometimes our fathers don’t come there to share the joy. If your father has passed away or is still alive, but not present or you do not have children or a spouse You can still pay tribute to the memory of a male mentor or grandfather. Consider another person who has had a positive impact on in your own life (such as teacher, coach or pastor) You can send an enjoyable Father’s Day. It is also possible to honor the friend or neighbor who has a father during Father’s Day.
Sometimes, we don’t have good relationships or opinions regarding fatherhood with our former fathers. If you’ve experienced in the past from neglect or abuse from your father, you should spend the time focusing on the heavenly Father who loves you as a perfect Father. A father who never hurts you and always be there with you.
How can we celebrate Father’s Day?
There are many ways to celebrate our fathers. You can buy them unique presents, take them to watch their favorite team on the field or even offer them a day off to enjoy a day on the green, or purchase a gift card to tell them how amazing they are.
Another option to commemorate Father’s Day is by hosting an event for all the fathers in your family (e.g. uncles, brothers and grandfathers). If you don’t live close to familymembers, you can also organize an event in your neighborhood to honor the fathers of the neighborhood or meet with a handful of close friends who have fathers.
A lot of times, we see mothers as loving, but fathers want to know how much their children cherish their parents and why they believe that their fathers are wonderful. They want to be the heroes in the story, the ones who are the heroes and improve their spouse’s and children’s lives more enjoyable.