AKRON (June 18, 2015) — I've always thought dads have it rough.
As a mom, I feel like I get to share so many of the good memories and kiss away the scraped knees and help the kids get ready for school dances or recitals.
But the dads in my life have always had to do such heavy lifting — teaching kids how to change a tire, about work ethics and about the consequences of a bad decision.
But I've never tried to see it through my children's eyes. So last weekend I asked them what the best lesson was they'd ever learned from their dad.
My daughter is 8, and her response was that “giving up is the worst thing you can ever do.”
That one made me smile.
My son's almost 3, and his response was age appropriate and a bit less insightful. He's at that stage where most answers evolve from his current environment. And at the time we were listening to music outside.
He said, “Dad taught me how to dance.”
And for that, son, I'm very sorry.
My little Q and A with the kids made me think. Moms don't really get to have all the fun as dads so often claim.
Dads are great for teaching some of the most important lessons.
They helps us learn the family business in some cases. Or how to ride a bike for the first time without giving up. Or how to move past something while remembering to take with us a lesson.
I've seen a lot of tire dealerships that began as a family business or with a father and son-in-law. And I've always thought about what a great experience and what wonderful lessons can be learned or taught in those instances.
Whether the lessons you've taught us have helped us around the shop, or the house or in any other way, Happy Father's Day to all of those dads out there doing the heavy lifting.