A Fathers' Day blog: Why dads are awesome.

Not all teenage girls get on with their dads. Being nearly 20 myself I have witnessed countless different father-daughter relationships through my friends over the years, and it's made me realise that I am really very lucky to get on with my dad as well as I do. Sure, it's not all plain sailing just like any familial relationship (I tell him off for not cleaning the toastie machine and he tells me off for going over my phone limit), but overall, daddio and I are pretty tight. We have some good chats. We're mostly on the same page.

So as it's Fathers' Day tomorrow, I thought I would write a little something about how brill the dadmeister is which I hope reminds you all to appreciate your dads. An ode to fathers, you might say. So here are some reasons why dads are awesome:

This is not my dad. I don't know whose dad this is but he's doing a good job. Pic from  imgur.com

1. He will always be there to get rid of spiders. Or any other creepy crawly of your choice. I was at home for a couple of nights last week, and at around midnight when I was getting ready for bed, I spotted an eight-legged freak on my ceiling. Spiders have always been my nemesis. I'm definitely not as scared as I was when I was little (catching sight of even the teensiest one would send me running for the hills, screaming as I went) but I'm still not a fan. They just move so quickly. And why do they need so many legs!? IT'S NOT NECESSARY! Oh, um... sorry for that rant. So anyway, I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep with the spider in my room, and despite Dad being in his comfy spot on the sofa watching TV, glass of wine in hand, he came up and removed the little blighter when I asked - just like he always has done throughout my childhood. Is that not extremely kind? I remember the first time a wasp came into my uni room this year and I had to deal with it myself. It's fair to say I am now a skilled wasp-squisher. (Sorry, animal rights people.)

2. He knows a lot about boring but useful stuff. As a student who left home for the first time last year having been in a very comfortable homey bubble for 19 years, there was a lot I had to learn. And much it was to do with money which is a total snooze. Luckily, mein Vater just happens to know a lot about that sort of thing, and is always on hand to guide me through issues with rent, taxes and fees. Well, nearly always. There was one incident when my card got declined in Tesco when I was only trying to buy a bottle of squash and a magazine. Pretty embarrassing times right there.

3. You can count on him for the same jokes over and over again. Dad jokes. So bad they're good? Or just bad? I think the thing is that they're averagely funny the first time you hear them (and this is why your friends politely chuckle when your dad whacks out one of his fave one-liners), but as a member of the immediate family who hears the same jokes over and over again, they start to lose their impact. In my family we can all predict what my dad will say when an emergency services siren goes past - get ready for this gem: "You won't sell much ice-cream going on that speed!" I actually hear it in my head if he's not there.

4. To him, you are always the star of the show. I really do feel for the dads (mine included in this group) who have to sit through hours of dance shows and song recitals just to see their little darlings have five minutes in the spotlight. My younger sister and I have done a ridiculous amount of shows over the years (and we're still going!), and there's nothing like the support of your parents. The rugby player Austin Healey was actually in the front row of one of my dance shows a few years ago as his daughters went to the same school. I'm pretty sure he was chatting to his wife all through my numbers, but I suppose that's fair enough. It must've been super boring for him when his girls weren't on stage. Dads will always think their daughter is the best. Even when she's not. (And we all know that most of the time she's not!)

anyone else get a tear in their eye at this? pic from weheartit.com

5. Dads occasionally do have some really good advice. Sure, a lot of the time dads are spewing out their dad jokes or nagging their offspring about homework/chores/finding a job, but sometimes they say something really useful. They know some stuff, these wise old guys. The best thing my dad's ever said to me? Well, he says it quite a lot really. And I think I'll probably say it a lot to any future children I may have, as I think it's a real good'un. It's so good that I'm going to share his wisdom with you all. Behold:

"The more you put in, the more you get out."

And on that note, I'm going to leave you to contemplate the above, think about your fathers, and have a happy Fathering Sunday. Kids of the world, appreciate your dads. Dads of the world, keep up the good work. And let us take you shopping.