Shopping for dads is always hard.
We don’t tell you what we want.
And honestly… we don’t really need anything. If we want something, we usually grab it at some random point during the year anyway.
So this year, when my kids asked what was on my list, I told them something different:
Time.
Each of them picked an activity they wanted to do with me — just an afternoon, one-on-one. Nothing fancy. Just time doing something they enjoy. My son picked going to a hockey game, and my teenage daughters picked taking me shoe shopping and some Starbies. They said I “need to up my sty and quit giving unc status”, so they’re picking out some new shoes for me. Girls dads, especially those with teenage daughters, when they want to spend time with you, the only answer is where and when.
My wife and I stopped giving each other gifts a long time ago and now get each other a trip. Experiences over things. Now the kids are into it.
It was a great reminder of something I’ve learned over the years as our family gets busier: time doesn’t just “happen.” If you don’t put it on the calendar, it gets lost in the hustle. That’s why date nights and couples trips are so important in our marriage, and why we’re deliberate about scheduling one-on-one time with each of the kids too.
No wrapping paper. No batteries required.
Just an afternoon together — and honestly, that’s the best gift I could’ve asked for.