The only thing I remember about Father’s Day when I was a kid was struggling to come up with a gift for my dad. The gifts were never very original and I’m sure, if my dad was alive today, he wouldn’t be able to tell you a single thing I gave him (all of those red ties and boxed DVD sets blend together after awhile).
Gift giving became a lot easier when I had kids because there was no greater gift for my dad than spending time with his grandkids. He was content just eating a meal with the kids and laughing at their antics or taking them mini-golfing and out for ice cream. Time was all he wanted and I know he remembered every minute of those days until the last.
I’ve always preferred giving (and receiving) an experience as a gift because a trip, an outing, or an adventure is far more memorable than something material (and really, who needs more stuff anyway). Besides it has been scientifically proven that you will be happier if you spend money on experiences not things and who am I to contradict science.
So in that vein I’ve asked a whole bunch of dads to give me their Father’s Day experience wish-list. Feel free to steal the ideas for Mother’s Day because why should dads have all the fun.
“We share the same taste in music and love small live concerts so doing that is a treat.”
“An afternoon playing frisbee golf”
“…all being together for a meal when [the kids] are home from college is great. Especially when we hang out by the fire with friends or extended family.”
“Go for a long bike ride together now that she’s older and doesn’t need me to pull her in a Burley.”
“Playing music together in the basement.”
“Get tickets to the bleachers at Wrigley Field for a Cubs game”
“Lagavulin Scotch. Two bottles. One to drink, another for investment or for my kids to drink at my funeral.”
“Golfing together. Not just another golf shirt.”
“Cooking a meal together instead of going out again.”
“Building something together. I need to build a fire pit and I would love for my kids to help.”
“Take a weekend fishing trip together.”
“I’d love to run a ‘mudder’ race with my boys” (https://toughmudder.com/)
“Surfing”
“Make our own beer”
“A night at a comedy club”
“Spend the morning hunting and the afternoon golfing”
“Paintball!”
“Go Kart racing and mini-golf”
“A day at the horse races.”
“Go to a music festival”
Now, go forth and plan your adventure.
As Dr. Thomas Gilovich, a Cornell professor who has spent 20+ years studying money and happiness noted, “We consume experiences directly with other people…And after they’re gone, they’re part of the stories that we tell to one another.”
Happy Father’s Day!
i suck as a parent 