Home made cookies, home made cards, breakfast in bed (prepared by your 7 old daughter) and a nice tie.  That’s what Father’s Day is all about.

I can proudly say that I survived another Father’s Day.  I almost have the T-shirt to prove it too, but have decided not to wear it today.  After all, I do have to attend some business meetings today.  Some people, younger individuals with no kids, may not fully appreciate the importance and proudness it brings to be a father.

What’s wrong with a T-shirt made by your kid, showing a mutated smurf or some dream house?

But what is “Father’s Day” anyway?  According to our friends over on wikipedia, Father’s Day is:

“Father’s Day is a celebration of fathers to complement Mother’s Day in celebrating fatherhood and male parenting.  Father’s Day is celebrated on a variety of dates worldwide and typically involves gift-giving, special dinners to fathers, and family-oriented activities.”

The most confusing bit is when Father’s Day is meant to be celebrated.  As I’m from Denmark, the day falls on 5 June, whereas most other places celebrate the day on the 3rd Sunday in June.  I have often considered travelling to Denmark for Father’s Day, celebrate it with my family, only to return to Ireland and celebrate it again.  Double appreciation 🙂

For me, wife and my kids, it’s a day where they show their love and appreciation of me even more than normal.  They are meant to run over and hug me continuously and scream how much they love me – all day.  But the atmosphere and excitement of this hugely important day, is normally over by 8.20 … about 3 minutes after breakfast and after having received the home made cards.

In honesty, we use these days (Mother of Father days) together as a family.  Every weekend should be celebrated like this.

• If the weather is nice, then we go out in the garden.
• If the weather is shite, then we go to the cinema or watch a movie.

We saw “Kung Fu Panda 2” yesterday, which was very appropriately themed too.  The panda lost his parents as a baby; the evil character didn’t appreciate his parents; the panda showed immense love for his dad … and, the panda’s real dad emerged at the end of the move sparking thoughts that we might see “Kung Fu Panda 3” – you read it here first.

Anyway, we had a great morning, followed by a great lunch in the local pub.  The afternoon was spent packing the house (again) and watching movies.

I love my kids more than they might know.  It is very easy to forget to say it to them daily, but I do.  Sometimes they feel that I am mean, because I tell them to clean up or go to bed, but we still love each other.  We’ve made an agreement – no matter how angry, sad, hurt or frustrated we might be, we are ALWAYS friends.  Nothing can or will change that.

That's my promise to my kids.

I will always support them and make sure they are safe.  I will hug and kiss them, much to the horror of my daughter when she becomes a teenager I’m sure.  Nevertheless, it’ll be done.  I might even show the kids how to do some proper break-dance 🙂 or dance lambada with my wife at their parties.

I wish that we will have many more Father Days together in the years to come.

To my own father – I love and miss you very much.