What does it take to be a dad?

craniac — Sun, 18 Jun 2006 07:45:12 -0800

What is the most important thing your father ever taught you, either explicitly or through example? Just ruminating on beind a dad, and how to be a better one.

followup question: is there anything you learned from your father that is uniquely "father-ish" or are the lessons we learn from our parents largely independent of their gender? I'm not trolling or trying to whip up a cynicism-fueled storm of responses, or generate Paul Harvey moments, just curious about what people think about this .

What would you take on a long road trip?

orange swan — Wed, 11 May 2005 05:38:49 -0800

What would you take on a long road trip? I was a bad daughter last Mother's Day weekend and didn't have a present ready for my mother. She is terribly hard to buy for, and the only idea I've come up with is a "survival kit" for her and my father's upcoming Grand Circle Tour.

The Grand Circle Tour is a six week driving trip that my Dad has been dreaming about for several years—they plan to drive west through the prairies to B.C., north along the coast line and into Alaska, wind up in the Yukon in time for the "midnight sun", and then head back through the NWT and Nunavut and Northern Ontario to their home in southwestern Ontario. Dad’s very excited and constantly pores over his eight-inch stack of travel guides. Mum acts like it’s going to be an endurance test.

Mum is 66, relentlessly practical, and really likes functional gifts, so what can I give her that would be useful for such a trip? I've thought of insect repellant, and my sister gave her a big book of crossword puzzles last weekend. Since my dad won't be home for Father's Day, I might as well make this a joint gift. He's the same age and is also a no-frills kind of guy. Ideas, please!

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What does it take to be a dad?

What would you take on a long road trip?