We owe much to our mothers. They gave birth to us, after all, and were–for many of us–largely responsible for our early survival and care. That we owe them a debt of gratitude, as well as love and our reciprocal care, is a belief commonly held.
What we collectively owe our fathers, on the other hand, is a less universally held belief. It tends to be more personal–and sometimes, more complex.
Dads can often feel uncertain about their role in a child’s early life, and may even feel envy at the early bond that develops between mother and child. Many fathers report feeling left out during a child’s infancy. And yet the relationship between father and child is proving to be at least as important as between mother and child.
Around our offices, we’ve been talking a lot about our relationships with our fathers, as well as (for some of us) our relationships as fathers. This comes as we’ve immersed ourselves in producing a video about fathers and their kids, focused on the subjects of pride and gratitude.
Here’s a small collection of our own team’s insights into fatherhood.
And in the hope that our insights will actually reach our dads, and our kids, we’re also posting at #tellthemnow. It’s been wonderful and rewarding to see, too, that others are starting to do the same.
ON DADS, GRATITUDE, AND PRIDE
I’m most grateful to my dad for his sense of humour (passed down to all of us) and his philosophical look at life. It was fun to grow up in my family! I was lucky.
~Norma Larson, Office Manager
Grateful to my father figures. Harry for baseball games. Rand for teaching me to bike. Doug for security. Mom for doing double-duty. #TellThemNow
~Samantha Reynolds, President
Grateful for my father’s words of wisdom: “Never leave home without a scarf and a sense of humour.”
~Margaret Mackinnon-Cash, Project Manager
Grateful to my dad for always believing in me beyond all logic. He STILL thinks I can make the NHL. #TellThemNow
~Pete McCormack, Video Director
Dad went to college in his 40s. He survived cancer in his 60s. A uniquely determined optimism won both rounds. Proud, grateful. #tellthemnow
~Shannon Emmerson, Director of Content Strategy
My dad taught me to do a job well–whether it’s just something for myself, for someone else, or for work. And he taught me to do the “right thing”–especially when nobody is looking. These weren’t always easy lessons, but I’m grateful for them.
~Eric Uhlich, Production Coordinator
