Fathers are some of the best kinds of people in this world. They teach us how to be tom-boys when we are younger, and throw baseballs better than the other boys on the playground. They teach us how to ride a bike, make the best sandcastles in the sandbox, and always sneak us an extra cookie when dinner is over. But as we grow up we find that our fathers have an even greater psychological impact on our lives. They teach us how to fight for ourselves, stand up for what's right even if it's not the popular choice, and how to value ourselves when we first start liking boys. They remind us how precious we are to them, and are always there to give us a great big hug when things in our lives aren't going so well. However, whether our fathers are divorced, separated, widowed, or have raised us alone our entire lives, we find that our bond with them is much more significant. They become our best friend, our hero, and our mentor. They become the role model we always wanted and the comedy partner we always needed. They listen to our problems, embrace our quirky personalities, and always find a way to support us in any decisions we make (even when they aren't the best ones). Here are a list of five different things us daughters of single fathers know to be true:
1. You have to earn it
One thing our fathers taught us well is that nothing in life is free nor is it just given. You want something? You have to go out there and get it yourself. Good things in life aren't just handed to you, they are earned. Whether it's a first place trophy, an A on a math exam, or a good job in your career field, everything takes hard work, dedication, and a lot of energy. You have to practice hard outside of normal practice time to get that trophy. You have to add on a couple more hours to those studying times to get that A, and most importantly, you have to be willing to be proactive and potentially work more hours if you want that good job.
2. Independence will get you far
Since our fathers know what it's like to be single and raise us, they value independence because they know we are strong enough to tackle our goals and dreams on our own. They constantly remind us how we can be successful without needing to be with someone, and how all the various things we want to accomplish in life can be done within ourselves. They help us to maintain high standards when looking for a significant other, and are always very eager to be the ultimate judge when we think we've found a good one. But at the end of the day they still encourage us to do everything we want to do with our lives. No matter if it's being an astronaut or the next pop star, they always remind us how strong we are, and how we can make anything we want in our lives happen.
3. Being on a sports team will help you later in life
If anyone knows anything about competition, its our fathers. No matter if they were athletes, musicians, or science geeks, they all secretly have that love to win. So it's no surprise that our fathers always encourage us to have our own hobbies starting at a very young age. Through those hobbies we learn team work, discipline, hard work, and perseverance. They are always very quick to be the other teammate when practicing at home, and attend all of our events just so they can cheer us on in the stands or on the sidelines. They encourage us to learn from our mistakes, and always strive to do better the next time. And even if we fail, they do everything they can to help us succeed the next time.
4. Never be afraid to be yourself
As cliche and cheesy as this sounds, our fathers always want us to embrace our true selves. No matter how quirky, sarcastic, or crazy we can be, they often join in on our far out personalities even if we are just having a weird day. They crack the same jokes as us, make the same weird noises as us, and somehow we always know how to understand one another. And if someone judges us for being ourselves, our fathers are the first to say "to hell with em'".
5. Everything is going to be just fine
No matter what happens in our lives, everything will work itself out. Our fathers know first hand how difficult life can be, but they also know how to push through even the most unbearable situations. Even when we get to the phase where we are having mid life crisis every other day, they are still there to reassure us that everything will be okay, and that in time this too shall pass. It can be a breakup, a bad grade, a fight with a friend, getting fired from a job, or even issues with money. But no matter us they keep us sane and keep us calm because they know in time everything will be fine.
