With Father’s Day fast approaching, the many bittersweet moments you and your dad have shared are at the forefront of your mind. He was your wall of support when you felt weak. He taught you what it meant to love another. He even gave you the courage to try again.
For all dad has done, you want to show your appreciation by expressing the love and admiration you feel for him. You see all he’s sacrificed, and you want him to know it hasn’t gone unnoticed. After all, the importance of a father shouldn’t be neglected or ignored.
Adoption Choices of Colorado knows that no gift or celebration will ever justify the selflessness of a father. But that doesn’t mean we can’t help you brainstorm a few ways to celebrate him this Father’s Day. He’ll appreciate the thought!
HISTORY OF FATHER’S DAY
First, let’s talk about how the tradition of Father’s Day began. The campaign to celebrate the nation’s fathers did not meet with the same enthusiasm as Mother’s Day. During this time, the role of fathers was often considered secondary, for mothers were regarded as the sole nurturers of children.
Many people disapproved of Sonora Dodd when she first introduced the idea of Father’s Day. She went to local churches, the YMCA, shopkeepers and government officials in seek of support for her idea. Eventually, she was successful! Washington State celebrated the nation’s first statewide Father’s Day on June 19, 1910. Slowly, the holiday spread. In 1916, President Wilson honored the day by using telegraph signals to unfurl a flag in Spokane, WA. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge urged other state governments to observe Father’s Day.
Thankfully, society now acknowledges that fathers are just as important as mothers. Children depend on their father for several aspects of life, including: spiritual, emotional, physical, financial, and social well-being. This cultural shift has strengthened father-child relationships, aided in the emotional development of children, and built stronger family bonds.
CELEBRATING FATHER’S DAY
Father’s Day has been celebrated for over 100 years, and each year’s celebration is special! If you need a little help coming up with the perfect plan, below are some great things to do with dad that can happen before or after you give him the perfect Father’s Day gift.
Plan a family outing. Father’s Day can be a great day for the whole family. Plan a family event, getting everyone in the family together for a fun day. Include all the dads in your family. Maybe you want to gather the uncles, brothers, grandpas, step-dads, and even father figures. Keep in mind your dad’s personality, though. Is your dad the type who enjoys big family gatherings? For some people, large gatherings are very tiring, and anything but relaxing.
Go camping. Whether you head to a campsite for the weekend, or decide to set up a tent in your own backyard, dad will love roasting marshmallows and telling scary stories around the fire.
Get your dad a card. A card goes a long way, and can sometimes mean more than a gift. If you’re buying your dad a Father’s Day card, make sure you don’t wait until the last minute, as it’ll be harder to find one that fits his personality. Make sure to personalize it!
Cook dad his favorite foods. It’s a day all about dad, right? If he wants pizza for breakfast, his wish is your command! It’s a small gesture, but one that goes a long way. Dad will be sure to notice how thoughtful you’re being.
Make the day joyful. One of the most important aspects of Father’s Day is that you are present and attentive. Gifts are great, but showing your love is the most important factor. Be sure to reassure your dad how proud you are of him and all he’s done for you. By simply having a good attitude, or giving dad a hug and telling him how much you love him, you can show him that he is appreciated.
Buy tickets to a live show. Let dad relive his rockstar days by heading to a concert. Even if it’s not a huge show, he’ll still appreciate the time you get to spend together, and you’ll get to watch him let loose!
You might have several things planned for your dad this Father’s Day, and he may go along with it all just to make you happy. With that said, be aware of his mood. It’s Dad’s Day, after all. If you notice that he seems tired or uninterested, ask him what he feels like doing. You don’t have to celebrate every minute of the day with him. Dad may want time alone to do his own thing, and that’s okay!
DAD’S DAY 2019
All dads, no matter their role, should be celebrated on Father’s Day. Whether your dad is an adoptive father, a grandfather, a birth father, a step-father, or a father figure – he is a hero! He plays an important role in your life and helped shape who you are today.
While there are a million ways to celebrate dad this year, Adoption Choices of Colorado knows his favorite way to enjoy the holiday is by spending it with you. Any sentiment, big or small, will go a long way.
Adoption Choices of Colorado
For more information on adoption please contact Adoption Choices of Colorado. We can reached via our website or phone 303-670-4401.
About the Author
Patience Bramlett, a University of Southern Mississippi news editorial graduate, is a seasoned and award-winning freelance writer. She is also a passionate reader, whose only wish is to live life without fear of the unknown. Her motivation and inspiration to live her best life stems from the words of John Lennon:
“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy.’ They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.”
This year, she’s joining Adoption Choices Inc. as an Editorial Intern. Fueled by her love of family, she hopes to educate those looking to grow their families through adoption.
When Patience is not exploring Colorado with her husband, she’s drinking coffee, forever figuring out how to tame her hair, growing her library, and trying to break into the publishing career.
Stephanie joined the Adoption Choices family in 2014 as the Child Placement Supervisor. Her love for adoption began in first grade when she made friends with twins adopted from Vietnam. Her heart grew strong over the years for adopted children and ultimately led her to graduate school where she continued her focus to her dream of working in the adoption field. Stephanie earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Denver in 2001. Over the past 15 years, Stephanie has worked as a pregnancy counselor and as an adoptive parent counselor for foster care, international adoption and domestic adoption, writing hundreds of home studies for families, and helping build their forever families. Stephanie is married and has three boys ages 12, 9, and 5. Together with her family she enjoys riding bike, playing games, watching her three sons compete in their various sporting and musical activities and go on vacations.
Christy Ikeler, is our Executive Director and Birth Parent Director. Christy has been with Adoption Choices Team for 18 years, since opening the doors in 2002! Christy has a true passion for what she does and her true love is working with and helping each birth parent. Whether she is up all night on the phone talking with them, taking them to doctors appointments, out for their favorite treat, providing counseling or at the hospital during labor and delivery, Christy is very involved every step of the way. She has a contagious laugh and a spunky personality that our birth moms all can bond with and relate to. As an adoptive parent herself, adoption holds a very special place in her heart and she can relate on every level with both birth parents and adoptive parents. In her free time Christy loves spending time with her daughter, gardening, baking and taking vacations with her family. Christy is an excellent leader for our team at Adoption Choices and is truly one of a kind!! As Executive Director, Christy spends time with the staff, birth parents and adoptive families in order to ensure that the agency is running smoothly. She has placed a huge emphasis on community outreach and programs for birth parents. Christy loves the opportunity to lead the agency into a brighter future.
Ms. Mackenzie has built a successful counseling career over the past 20 years, supporting mothers and families, people of all ages and genders, students, community professionals and fellow clinicians. Liv values a diverse professional focus, including the entrepreneurial life of a sole proprietor, the evaluative process of certifying foster/adoptive homes, the insightful and mindful one-on-one one work with enthusiastic clients, and serving as an advocate for underserved populations. Liv is a Licensed Professional Counselor and holds a BA in Pre-Law and Economics from American University, an MA in Counseling from Adams University and a certificate in Human Resource Management from Villanova University. Away from work you will find Liv spending time in nature, biking to the farmer’s market and adventuring with her family.
Catherine A. Madsen, joined the Adoption Choices family as legal counsel in 2013. Catherine is responsible for providing legal guidance to the Agency, training and updating staff on developments in adoption law and legislation, and program development. Catherine
Virginia Frank is an adoption attorney accredited since 1991 with the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. Ms. Frank is a leader in the field of private adoption and has completed over 4,000 adoptions in her career. Ms. Frank has a law degree from Oklahoma City University and a BA in both Political Science and Communications from the University of Oklahoma.
Cassidie has been with Adoption Choices since 2015, she has her bachelors in Interdisciplinary Affairs with concentrations in both Sociology and Business Management. Cassidie has additional training in Victim Advocacy, foster care and has been working in women’s services for over 10 years. Cassidie has always had a heart for adoption and it was her career dream to work in adoption. She started off doing volunteer work for advocacy programs, adoption organizations and worked in High Risk Maternal Fetal Medicine through the University of Colorado Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Colorado. Cassidie is also blessed to have personally experienced an adoption of her own in 2012, completing her family of five! Cassidie loves what she does as a case worker from initial phone calls, meetings, doctor appointments, interaction with the adoptive families to delivery and counseling. Cassidie has a passion for those in need and strives to help make a difference in the lives of the people she meets. She is a firm believer in being kind, compassionate and open minded in all situations. “Unless you’ve walked in their shoes, there’s no place for judgment. A kind word or compliment can go a long way!” The bittersweet moments in adoption reminds Cassidie each and every time, why she loves what she does!