Written by Tammi Pitzen, Executive Director of the Children’s Advocacy Center of Jackson County

This weekend is Father’s Day.  Now that I have a child I often think back to what it was like for me when I was his age.

I remember my Daddy teaching me things like how to fish and how to tell stories.  I loved riding in his yellow Ford truck next to him in the seat as he would tell me stories about our dog Tippy and his great adventures.  I did not know until I was older that actually they were about Snoopy and had been written by Charles Schultz.  I just knew that he told really good stories about our heroic dog.  He taught me to fish. I remember one particular trip I got a few more fish than he did.  Somehow my fishing career ended after that trip.  I think it had more to do with the fact that he had to take my fish off the hook because I wouldn’t touch the fish and then he would have to re bait the hook because worms and crickets are icky than it had to do with me catching more than he did.   I now understand that might have been interrupting his fishing and relaxing.  My dad used to bring us “surprises”.  Usually rolls of Lifesavers.  He would hide them in the house and we would hunt for them.  It would keep us occupied until dinner was ready and it was so much fun.  He taught me the concept of time by using TV shows.  During the long, never ending cross country trips to my grandparents’ home when we kids would be asking, when are we going to stop to eat, use the bathroom or to play in a pool at a hotel along the way, he would always answer with ….a Love Boat, a Happy Days and one Loony Toons.  At that time I didn’t know what an hour and 45 minutes was in real time but I knew how long the Love Boat was on every Saturday night.

It is the small things that make the longest lasting imprints.  I didn’t get that as a child.  But looking back as an adult, I sure get it!  It isn’t things.  It isn’t money.  It is time.  It is love.

I watch my son and his daddy.  It is amazing to watch their relationship and change and grow.  My son is definitely watching his Dad.  I see him telling Dad jokes and trying to pull pranks on his Dad…emulating his Dad’s sense of humor.  I hear his Dad’s influence in my son’s voice as he talks about taking care of our community’s veterans.  I see my son walking and talking using his Dad’s mannerisms.  He is definitely trying to figure out this growing up thing.

I watch my husband, my son’s dad, creatively building those small moments.  He is teaching him how to build things with his hands.  He is teaching him how to hit a ball with a bat.  He is teaching him about growing food and flowers.  They are starting new father-son traditions.

I hope my son is watching his father as closely as I watched mine.  I want him to remember the little things as if they were the biggest things.  I want him to see his dad treating his mom like a queen. I want him to see his dad cooking dinner, doing the laundry as well as mowing the lawn and fixing the car.  I want him to see his dad helping a friend.  I want him to see his daddy caring and loving our Sara and Jackson who are not just our pets but are family members.  I want him to see his dad always doing what he believes is right. I want him to see his dad working hard for what he wants and appreciating when that work pays off.  I want him to soak it all in.

To all the Dads out there— those who are biological, fosters, steps, bonus, or “Dad-like”–I hope that you enjoy your day making new memories with the youth in your life.  Remember that they are looking to you to show them how to live.  They are following the footprints that you leave.