Father’s Day is a time to honor the men who are important to them. For kids, it’s an opportunity to show their appreciation for their father figures and their fathers. For adults, it’s an opportunity to demonstrate how that they appreciate and love the work and dedication of husbands and fathers throughout their life. Although we are all aware of Father’s Day, we may not be aware of the background of this custom. The fact is, the celebration was not widely popular initially. Over time, however people began to accept the notion of the influence fathers played in their families, and especially in the lives of their children.
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What is the reason we celebrate Father’s Day?
As per the History Channel, Sonora Smart Dodd, who hails 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 had died. Her mother had passed away during when she had her 6th child. In the years since Mother’s Day was established in 1908, Sonora Smart Dodd wanted to establish a holiday similar to Mother’s Day for fathers. To spread her vision of honoring fathers on one time, Sonora visited local churches as well as the YMCA and spoke to shopkeepers and officials to garner the support needed to implement this new tradition. Through her tireless efforts, Sonora found success when Washington State celebrated the first Father’s Day on June 19 1910.
Although Mother’s Day gained momentum right away, it took several years to Father’s Day to be nationally acknowledged as a holiday. 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. However, it wasn’t until several decades after when Father’s Day would be recognized as an official national holiday. In 1966 the year of the president Lyndon B. Johnson signed an executive proclamation naming the third Sunday of June for Father’s Day. In 1972 the president Nixon finally instituted a national holiday of Father’s Day.
One reason why 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. Many believed it was a tactic for stores to make money off another holiday, and also to force families into spending more by purchasing unnecessary gifts. The 1920s, 1930s an organization actually tried to end Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. The supporters of the movement called for the replacement of these celebrations in the form of Parent’s Day, in which both parents are honored. Despite the efforts of the movement, Mother’s Day stayed on the calendar as did Father’s Day would eventually be added to the calendar of the nation.
Why should we celebrate Father’s Day?
Despite the controversy that began around 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 their influence over their kids. Actually, the majority of psychological studies on parenting focused 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.”
In general, children with active fathers have a higher chance be healthy socially, emotionally and academically. When children are faced with challenges being surrounded by a parent can help children manage their behaviour and emotions better than children whose parents are not present.
Additionally the children who do not have fathers tend to be involved in risky behavior. This is the reason there is a growing demand for male mentors at elementary schools.
While mothers are often regarded as primary caregivers but the times are changing. More women are getting greater opportunities in the workplace and fathers are getting more involved in raising their children rather than solely taking care of the family. Fathers in the present are working hard to look after their families by taking care of their own needs, helping with household chores and spending time with their children.
Sometimes, our fathers don’t come present to enjoy the celebrations. If your father is deceased 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 an instructor, coach, or pastor) You can say an enjoyable Father’s Day. It is also possible to honor your friend or neighbor who has a father during Father’s Day.
Sometimes, we don’t have good relationships or opinions about fatherhood from former fathers. If you’ve suffered in the past from neglect or abuse by your father, try to spend your time focusing on the heavenly Father, who is yours as a perfect Father – a God who will never hurt you and always be there to be there for you.
How can we celebrate Father’s Day?
There are many ways to honor our fathers. You can buy them unique presents, take them to their favorite team on the field or gift them a day to enjoy a day on the green, or purchase a gift card to tell them how great they are.
Another option to commemorate Father’s Day is to organize an all-day cookout for the fathers of the family (e.g. uncles, brothers and even grandfathers). If you don’t live close to familymembers, you can also organize an event in your neighborhood to celebrate fathers of the neighborhood or get together with a few close friends who have fathers.
A lot of times, we see mothers as romantic, however fathers want to know the love their children have for their parents and why they believe they are awesome fathers. They love to play the heroes of the story — the ones who make the difference and help make their spouses and children’s lives more enjoyable.