If you’re going to sing, sing loud!By Natalie GowenOh, the shame, the complete and utter embarrassment! In the beginning, there couldn’t have been a worse form of torture than skiing with my family during my teenage years.Sure, getting up before dawn to beat the I-70 ski traffic, donning my marshmallow coat and cruising downhill at breath-taking speeds was fun enough.But at the bottom of the hill, I’d hop on the ski lift with my dad and then it would start. Quietly at first – he would just hum a little bit. But he’d get louder and louder until the chorus of “I’ve Been Workin’ on the Railroad” echoed off the mountain sides.Even though I was mortified, I joined in. Over the years, I even stopped being embarrassed. In the end, I realized that who cared what people thought. We were having fun, being ourselves and creating lasting memories.And yes, if you skied Winter Park in the mid-90s, that was me and my dad singing at the top of our lungs.Best AdviceBy Angie MorlanMy dad has given me several pieces of advice, but there are three that stand out. His advice to me on choosing an occupation or job security was, “You can do anything you want to if you put your mind to it. But think about working in a field that involves people’s basic needs such as food, housing and clothing. Those are the kind of jobs that will always be needed.”When I got older, his advice to me on how to buy a house was, “Don’t look at things like wallpaper or carpet. Those are things you can change. Look at things like the foundation, plumbing and wiring.”But the third piece of advice that he gave me is one I probably use every day: “Always do your best and nobody can ask more than that.” I have found that his words ring in my ear more than ever when I’m too hard on myself. I stop and ask myself, “Did I do my best?” If the answer is yes, I know I did something right.Words of encouragementBy Judi TobiasMy father loved poetry, and he would recite it if given any encouragement – anything from “The Face on the Barroom Floor” by Hugh Antoine D’Arcy to William Shakespeare. One piece of doggerel that always amused me was the following: Laugh and the world laughs with you, Weep and you weep alone. For the weary old earth is ready for mirth And it has no time for a moan.However, the quote he used most when giving me advice was from William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” – Polonius’ advice to Laertes. “This above all, to thine own self be true.”Don’t sweat the small stuffBy Stefani Wiest”Stef, don’t sweat the small stuff.” Those words of wisdom given to me from my dad have continuously been a reminder to me that almost everything can be categorized as “the small stuff.” Growing up, the small stuff could have been a forgotten school assignment, a missed bus or a neglected curfew. As an adult the small stuff might be piles of laundry, spilled bright red juice on the carpet or rush hour traffic.Sometimes the small stuff seems huge. Sometimes it is hard to remember to not take things so seriously. Remembering what is really important in life makes it easier to take a deep breath and approach the small stuff with a positive attitude.Thanks, Dad, for reminding me that the big picture is more important than the small stuff.Fun Father’s Day factsThe idea of Father’s Day was conceived by Sonora Dodd of Spokane, Wash., while she listened to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909. Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart, a widowed Civil War veteran who was left to raise his six children on a farm. A day in June was chosen for the first Father’s Day celebration – June 19, 1910, proclaimed by Spokane’s mayor because it was the month of Smart’s birth. The first presidential proclamation honoring fathers was issued in 1966 when President Lyndon Johnson designated the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day. Father’s Day has been celebrated annually since 1972 when President Richard Nixon signed the public law that made it permanent.64.3 millionThe estimated number of fathers across the nation.Remembering DadNeckties lead the list of Father’s Day gifts. A good place to buy dad a tie or a shirt might be one of 8,685 men’s clothing stores around the country in 2005.Other items high on the list of Father’s Day gifts include those items you may find in dad’s toolbox such as hammers, wrenches and screwdrivers. You could buy some of these items for dad at one of the nation’s 14,257 hardware stores or 5,925 home centers in 2005.23,195The number of sporting goods stores in 2005. These stores are good places to purchase traditional gifts for dad such as fishing rods and golf clubs.Mr. Mom159,000The estimated number of stay-at-home dads in 2006. These married fathers with children under 15 years old have remained out of the labor force for more than one year, primarily so they can care for the family while their wives work outside the home. These fathers cared for 283,000 children under the age of 15.Among these:60 percent had two or more children.40 percent had an annual family income of $50,000 or more.35 percent had children younger than 3 living with them.How Many Fathers?26.5 millionThe number of fathers who are part of married-couple families with children under the age of 18 in 2006.Among these:22 percent are raising three or more of their own children under 18 years old (among married-couple family households only).2 percent live in someone else’s home.2.5 millionThe number of single fathers in 2006, up from 400,000 in 1970. Currently, among single parents living with their children, 19 percent are men.Among these fathers:8 percent are raising three or more of their own children under 18 years old.40 percent are divorced, 16 percent are separated, and 4 percent are widowed. (There is no significant difference between the percentages of single fathers who are divorced and never married.)14 percent live in someone else’s home.27 percent have an annual family income of $50,000 or more.Dining with Daddy30 percentThe percentage of children younger than 6 living with married parents in 2003 who ate breakfast with their father every day. The corresponding number for children living with unmarried fathers was 41 percent.64 percentThe percentage of children younger than 6 living with married parents who ate dinner with their fathers every day. The corresponding number for children living with unmarried fathers was 66 percent.Kind Words from Dad63 percentThe percentage of children younger than 6 living with married parents who were praised three or more times a day by their fathers. The corresponding number for children living with unmarried fathers was 57 percent.Source: U.S. Census Bureau
