Father's Day, Screwed Up by "Bad Fathers"

Father's Day is the low-key holiday that no one pays much attention to because of all the bad things done by "bad fathers."  According to the annual National Retail Federation survey, Father's Day (at $13.3B) is one the lowest shopping holidays when compared to Easter ($17.2B), Valentine's Day ($18.6B), and Mother's Day ($20.7B).  Thanks to some of the Worst Fathers in History, who have either ended up in jail or committed horrific crimes or abandoned the family, the holiday remains underrated and under-appreciated.  

Sonora Smart Dodd founded the holiday back in 1910 because of her admiration for her father, William Jackson Smart, who raised 6 children as a single dad.  Her dad was definitely a "keeper" because a single man raising 6 children back in the 1800s was unheard of.   It was MEN, who resisting the idea of having such a holiday, until another woman, Senator Margaret Chase Smith, accused Congress in 1957 of "ignoring fathers while honoring mothers."  Years later, Father's Day was officially signed into law by President Richard Nixon in 1972.

Father's Day is a painful holiday for some, who have either been mistreated or abandoned by their dads.  For some, the memory of a bad childhood fueled by a drunken or abusive father, have caused many to become haunted and tormented by their past.

The holiday may not be a good thing to celebrate, but for those, who have managed to forgive their bad father and managed to "move-on," Father's Day is worth honoring.   Most of these victims have become good and responsible dad themselves, getting away from the legacy that was left by their father.  If there is anything good that a victim can learn from their "bad experience," is to become a better person and better father for their own family.

For the many, who have been brought up by a good father, they are considered extremely lucky and a rare breed in most cases.  It's a "big plus" if someone had both parents raise them.  I had only 9 years with my father when he passed away, but it was 9 quality years.  My mother became a single parent and she had to balance becoming a mother and a father at the same time.

Father's Day should always serve as an inspiration for new and established fathers to appreciate the role of becoming a dad.  It should be a day of reflection, more than anything else.

Oh yeah, if you get a great tie or a big screen television or a tool set, that's an added bonus.

Most important, the holiday is a good time for those, who were victims of a bad father.  This is a time to  bury the past and become the good dad your bad father couldn't be.