Our dads teach us a lot. Sometimes the lessons are intentional, sometimes accidental and sometimes those lessons we learn from our dads are how to be a father by NOT following their lead. We recently asked the Life of Dad Facebook community to tell us what they learned from their own dad. Here are just some of the nearly 400 responses!
What's something you learned from your own dad?
Posted by Life of Dad on Thursday, January 26, 2017
Napoleon Blanco: To be the complete opposite of him, which means being there for my kids. Playing with them, building rocket ships. With him not being a dad, it surely taught me how to be one.
Scott Campbell: Do it once, do it right.
Dustin Leonzio: Keep your car clean inside and out, and if you can make something yourself, or repair it, do it before you buy new. You’ll learn to be one handy sonofabitch eventually.
Alex Bullock: “If you’re going to be dumb, you better be tough.” my dad told me this about circa 1995 when I was 5 yrs old after buying me a dirtbike. His voice saying that has played in my head before making a lot of decisions.
Joe Madden: Even though my dad died when I was 3 months old, I learned from not having any memories of my dad, to make memories with my own children every chance I can. I want my daughters to be able to sit down after I’m gone and have an hours long conversation where every sentence starts with “Remember when dad did…..”
Erik Tempest: I lost my dad to cancer when I was only 8 years old, but even by then my father had taught me to respect others & respect myself.
Ryan Pendleton: My dad taught me how to talk to my kids in a such a way that they learn a lesson from their mistakes. He never just yelled. He would sit down and explain what you did wrong, let you know his disappointment, and help you correct course. There is no greater motivation in the world than to try and undo the disappointment you’ve laid at your father’s feet.
Tyson Hansen: My father taught me that nothing in life is free, yet there was nothing unreachable. Work hard in your life to get what you want/need.
Zekah Ecv Crook: That it doesn’t matter if you’re running a shovel or running the country… you should give 100% and take pride in everything you do.
Alan Lane-Murcia: Let your kids ask you anything. Especially about sex, dating, work. He always said though some I would learn at school he wanted me to learn more from him.
Brooke Turner: Measure twice, cut once.
Mike Bale: Decency, kindness and compassion are not unmanly and will bring you more happiness than bullying people to get your own way.
Bill Hamilton: Never judge someone based on what they do for a living.
Liam G Curry: One person cannot provide enough love to keep two people together.
What did your dad teach you? Share the lesson with us on Facebook.
*Flickr photo by Big D2112, used under Creative Commons license.