The Best Things About Being A Dad by Ben Napier
If there's one thing Ben Napier loves to do, it's to be a dad to his two girls, Helen and Mae. It's an honor to be the first face to greet them in the morning or be the last one to sing them to sleep on his chest. To him, it's the best gift ever, and we'll have to admit that he's pretty dang good at it. (Erin endorses this message!)
He'll admit that his fatherly tendencies result from watching his own dad's approach to fatherhood with four scrappy boys. Through his childhood and being a father to two girls of his own, Ben's learned what it means to be a dad. Today, he hopes to share a few of his most valuable lessons.
1. Carry 3 Things.
"Always carry a handkerchief, a pocket knife, and cash. Those are the three things I use the most as a father. Helen asks me for my handkerchief all the time for literally anything. Blowing her nose, playing a game, or cleaning her up. She likes mine because it has a bucking bronco and cowboy."
2. Follow the 3 D's of Being A Dad
"Follow the 3 D's: Desire, Dedication and Determination. You got to have a will to do something, you've got to be dedicated to do it, and you got to be determined to see it through."
3. Learn How to Sing
"Learn how to sing or at least pretend like you know how to sing, because when your little girl asks you to sing to her at bedtime, you better be ready. Our song is Father and Daughter by Paul Simon. Helen tells everybody that she and I are gonna dance to it at her wedding. She also loves "Tiny Dancer."
For Mae, I sing "My Girl" by Temptations or "Your Song" by Elton John. She lays on my chest and coos. It's just wonderful."
4. Say No A Lot
"Say no a lot. I mean, I don't say it as much as I need to, but if you're trying to say no a lot, you'll probably hit the mark. There were so many things that Erin and I both liked when we were little, and we'd ask, can I get that? Our parents would say, Absolutely not. I'm so glad they did, otherwise we'd be so spoiled."
5. Everything Passes
"Everything passes, the bad stuff and the good stuff. It all comes to an end and then there's new stuff. It's like that cheesy song, "You're Gonna Miss This." You're gonna want this back, but seriously, like that song is so cheesy, but every word of it is so true."
Celebrate the special father in your life this Father's Day with a thoughtful, American-made gift. Check out our Father's Day Gift Guide to get some inspiration here!