Dad, it’s Father’s Day!  On this special occasion (and year-around), you deserve to hear how important and great you are because you’re both—important and great.  We wouldn’t be where we are today if it wasn’t for you!

But, I want to do more than sing your praises.  In this short post, I invite you to do a little Father’s Day self-inspection.  Specifically, I’ve got a couple questions to help you determine if you’re being the Dad you want to be.

What’s in your toolbox?

You may or may not have literal tools (e.g., hammer, screwdriver, measuring tape) although those definitely come in handy.  I’m actually talking about your relationship-building toolbox.  Look at the list below, and ask yourself, “Am I ___________________ at home?”  Fill in the blank with each of the following words:

  • kind
  • grateful
  • loving
  • fair
  • forgiving
  • open
  • trusting
  • compassionate
  • patient
  • organized
  • connected
  • fun

Are you surprised by any of your answers?  What if you asked your family—how would they say you’re doing?

Are you the Dad you want to be?

When your Dad days are done (hopefully many many years from now), your family will remember how good a Dad you were.  They will remember what type of family leader you were, how well you provided for them, and how well you protected them.  However, possibly more than these important aspects of being a Dad, your family will remember the relationship you built with them.

Building positive, lasting relationships with your family is a wonderful opportunity you have right now!  If you’re already making the most of this opportunity, congratulations, and keep going strong, Dad!  But, if you’ve got room for improvement—if you need to step up in any of the relationship-building areas listed above—now’s the time!  Commit to stepping up in one or more areas so that you truly are becoming the Dad you want to be and the Dad your family wants and needs you to be!

New tools for your toolbox

For a quick and easy guide to helping you build and maintain a happy, healthy home life, I hope you’ll get a copy of mine and Dr. Gary Chapman’s book, The DIY Guide to Building a Family That Lasts: 12 Tools for Improving Your Home Life.

Happy Fathers Day!

With love,

Shannon

PS: My Dad passed away a couple years ago around Father’s Day.  I miss him so much because he was a great Dad.  I always appreciated that he had a literal tool for every household need.  But more than that, I loved him because he kept working to build lasting relationships with my Mom, my brothers, and me.  Happy Father’s Day, Daddy!  I wish I could show you my new book!

 

Thanks for visiting my website: shannonwarden.com.  I hope you’ll share this Hope To Build On blog post with others who might be encouraged by it!

Dad what's in your toolbox

Dad it’s Father’s Day, time to add some new tools to your relationship-building toolbox