Father’s Day

By Elena Gorshkova, Russia

 

A dad is someone who
wants to keep you from making mistakes
but instead lets you find your own way,
even though his heart breaks in silence
when you get hurt.

Mothers play an important role as the heart of any home, but this in no way lessens the equally important role fathers should play, as head of the home, in nurturing, training, and loving their children. My father used to say that it’s never too late to do anything you wanted to do. And he said: “You never know what you can accomplish until you try”. Thanks to these words I am a participant of SUSI 2016, thanks to my father I am enjoying getting new experience here, in the United States of America, with you, my dear readers!
It was the third Sunday of June yesterday, so Father’s Day was celebrated all over the USA. Having interviewed several people from different countries who observe the day to honor their fathers, grandfathers, great-grandfathers and father figures for their contribution I have come to the conclusion that the role of a father in the American family can’t be overestimated, the tradition is being inherited through many generations. These values make an American family a real strong union.
Here are some interviews that made me – a daughter and a mother of a boy, who will be a dad one day – realize and redefine some family values.

Deena Monsour (the USA): Our Father’s Day is spent, as a family enjoying the things my husband likes best. We prepare his favorite foods, which often start with breakfast tacos in bed, and ends with crab cakes and a special dessert. The kids make cards and buy him small presents like licorice, his favorite candy. This year for the third year we will give him a hammock for a present. The first one was stolen, the second one tore.

Hauna Hochstetler (the USA): Generally as a family we do whatever it is that my dad wants to do for the day, which in the past has been anything from going on a raft trip, going to a movie, watching a soccer game, or planting flowers in the garden, etc… My sister generally takes him out for a huckleberry milkshake since her birthday has been on Father’s Day a number of different years and that is something that they do together. I usually get him a little something like a coffee mug with me and my siblings on it, or a bag of good coffee that he likes, or a bottle of wine…

Sean McQuillan (the USA): In the town where I grew up there was always a father’s day car show on Main Street that my dad and I would go to because we both love cars. After that we would go to a small volunteer fire department that had a father’s day breakfast fundraiser. I believe that the most memorable present I gave my dad was last year. His father, my grandfather, had just passed away and I wrote in my dad’s card it was now his job to carry on role of his father in our family.

Brooke Olivia Beighle (the USA): My dad is an avid outdoors man so my family and I do whatever he wants to do! Tomorrow we are getting up early to do some fencing and land maintenance for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, a nonprofit in Missoula that preserves land for elk and wildlife. We always do a dinner or lunch too and just spend time with each other. I usually get him a card because i think spending quality time together is better than a material gift. One year I got him concert tickets so we could go together so that’s probably the biggest gift I’ve gotten him.

Anna Slown (the USA) : When my dad was a boy he and his father would go on the annual Boy Scout Father’s Day Canoe Race. Today we went for a hike but I do like to canoe with him too! As for gifts I usually make a baked good for desert that night and make him his favorite dinner. This year I made him a pie, but we also got him tools for his grill outside. When all of us girls were smaller we would make him cards and tell him all the things we liked about him. It’s really cute because he still has all those cards!

Kristina Urboniene (Lithuania): In Lithuania Father’s day is celebrated on the first Sunday of June. Children congratulate their father with different gifts: cups, caps, t-shirts, fishing rods, books or other things a father could get pleased with. I usually bake a cake for my father, as I know what cake he likes most. I also write some wishes on the cake with cream or icing.

Karina Alejandra (Chile): As children get gifts for their fathers, they also spend time with them, share lunchtime and stay together enjoying the much as it is possible for them to do it. When fathers are not here anymore (my case) it’s very common to visit cemeteries and take flowers for them as a father’s day gift.

Ana Ligia Martin (Panama): In Panama we have a breakfast together. We buy something for the family members that are fathers. And kids make father day cards as gifts.