Father's Day

I have long considered Father's Day a societal afterthought - a concession to aggrieved dads who for years had taken their kids shopping for candies and supervised as their children cut out construction-paper flowers to bestow upon mothers on their special Sunday in May. In fact, Father's Day wasn't recognized by the federal government until a full 58 years after Mother's Day.

Signs of a father's perceived role are everywhere - omissions and assumptions that deliver thousands of small cuts to the psyche of men who are as much involved in their child's life as mom. The logo on Parenting Magazine reads "What Matters to Moms" - but aren't dads parents, too? Graco, a top name in baby equipment, emblazons its packaging with the slogan "Ask Moms Who Know."

So you can understand why my first Father's Day caught me off-guard. I knew it was coming, but it took me a while to realize that, this year, I would be among the celebrated honorees. Even now I think of Father's Day as something I lucked in to, but I'll take the opportunity to soak it up for a few minutes today, in between diaper changes and naps and playtime.

I'm sure that, as Madeline grows, there will be candy or cards or perhaps a colorful cutout of a flower. But this year, on my first Father's Day, I'll settle for a radiant, toothless smile, a haphazard string of babbled vowels or the soft nuzzle of a sleepy baby. It'll let me know that, despite the popular perception of the role of a father, someone special appreciates what I'm doing.

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there! You deserve it.