Father's Month

Typically our family vacations near Father's Day and Father's Day is quite often overlooked or less celebrated because of this. This year I decided to change it up a little. The children and I took off for a week at the beach sans Ryan in May. Before I left, I suggested Ryan go ahead and purchase his Father's Day gift, a grill. Though I found this a bit impersonal, I knew that Ryan would delight in choosing this particular item for himself. He did and when we returned, we not only had a new grill but there was also a table and chairs to go with....the boys were so impressed that dad got a grill that CAME WITH a table and chairs :) (So not the case but whatever makes them happy!) The next week, the children and I were out running errands. I suggested we look at bathing suits for Ryan for a Father's Day gift. We purchased one and gave it to him that night. Again, not on Father's Day. There was a pattern here and I knew we had to STOP. I came up with a plan....Father's Month. Each child made an invitation of their own and invited their dad to spend time with them, just one on one, doing something that they knew he would enjoy. Colin chose playing baseball at a local sports park and they enjoyed their afternoon yesterday complete with Gatorade and sunflower seeds. Pryce chose to take Ryan to an actual baseball game here in town and MK chose a trip to Bruster's and the pool to swim! Each "date" (one child told me that I could not refer to it as a date with dad. I asked him what I should call it and he said, "togetherness time") is scattered throughout the month so that he is honored all month, thus becoming "Father's Month." The kids like this idea so much that they have already begun to plan what they will do with their dad next Father's Month! Ryan loves the idea too and simply stated, "The only person I don't get a date with is you. Do you think we could work that in too?" So sweet that he would even think of that fact as I had overlooked it myself!