Dads may not empty the dishwasher often enough, or make it home before dinner every night. Dads may teach ridiculous behaviors like passing gas on your sibling. Dads may write the wrong month, day, or year for a birthday on paperwork – or even forgot how you decided to spell a middle name at some point. Dads may rarely attend the well check-ups, and they may fall asleep before the kids every.single.time they attempt bedtime.

But What CAN Dads Do?

Dads can tag-in when they walk in the door from work so mom can sneak out the front door for a run.

Dads can alternate sleeping-in on weekend mornings with Mom. They can let her sleep as long as possible and have breakfast ready when she wakes up.

Dads can throw kids in the car and survive an adventure with nothing but an extra diaper packed.

Dads can teach things in ways moms naturally don’t. Dads naturally instill a sense of confidence, independence, and leadership in their children.

Dads can take off work for ballet recitals and karate tournaments. They can leave early to watch swim team try-outs.

Dads can plan the greatest camping trips, and pack the car like a perfectly constructed jigsaw puzzle.

Dads can celebrate anything that Mom mentions is a big deal… because big things mean something different to every child.

Dads can pick up wine for Mom on their way home from work if they’ve had to put in longer hours that week.

Dads can splurge on special things like bikes, fishing poles, and princess dresses.

Dads can share their hobbies -and teach life lessons through them.

Dads can bring a different perspective to the day.

Dads can know when Mom is about to lose it, and can step in.

Dads can hold hands crossing the street.

Dads can wear their babies, rock their babies, and carry their babies for hours on end.

Dads can change bedsheets in the middle of the night when someone wets the bed.

Dads can send Mom directions to the nearest urgent care facility, and then meet her there when a child needs his head glued back together.

Dads can create the best games, that even though make absolutely no sense – make perfect sense to kids.

Dads can take kids on ridiculous donut dates that Mom would never allow.

Dads can cannonball into freezing pool temperatures because the kids want someone to play with.

Dads can dig the biggest holes, build the best castles, and swim to the farthest sand bars at the beach.

Dads can wrestle.

Dads can scoop up babies in the middle of the night to snuggle with them so no one sleeps alone.

Dads can know that they are not Mom, and when they need to ask for Mom’s help.

To every imperfectly perfect dad out there. Thank you. For everything that drives us moms crazy, there are a dozen things that make us fall in love with you all over again. You are doing a wonderful job, and you are appreciated.