With Father's Day right around the corner (speaking of which, I still need to buy a present), I'm sure many of us are reminded of just how lucky we are to be blessed with some pretty awesome dads. There is one thing, however, that I have been particularly thankful for in my transition into college and my future in the real world. I was fortunate enough to grow up with a father I am very close to, but more than that, a father who was more than just a "buddy." My dad wasn't afraid to parent me, and I feel this quality is something that's becoming rarer and rarer in today's society.
Although I'm only 19 years old, so my opinion is far from expert, I've noticed that parents these days are forming relationships with their children that are more friendly than anything else. Now don't get me wrong, I think being able to consider one or both of your parents to be a best friend is incredible. But there's plenty of time for that sort of relationship when a child is grown up and responsible for themselves, not necessarily when he or she is still learning right from wrong.
As a person who works in childcare, I've dealt with so many kids who have never learned the meaning of the word "no." While I'm sure this is not always the result of bad parenting, I attribute much of the rebellious and unruly behavior that is so prevalent in the children of today's society to a household that doesn't draw the line between parent and friend. I believe that sometimes, trying to be the "cool" parent has more negative than positive effects on a child.
I've heard the age-old phrase many times, "Children don't come with an instruction manual." I can't even image the struggles that develop as a result of being a parent, but I would think that it would be obvious that the role comes with certain obligations. Being a friend to a child, in my opinion, would make it much harder to be an enforcer in his or her life. So many of my peers grew up with parents that never forced them to get a job, bought them the car of their choice at 16 and were supplying them with alcohol before they graduated high school. How can a child that never had his or her wrongdoings pointed out have any hope of becoming a successful adult?
Growing up, my dad was never afraid to tell me when I was acting foolishly, making a wrong choice, or just being a straight-up brat. Brad Paisley said it best in his song "Letter to Me" - "Each and every time you have a fight, just assume you're wrong and Daddy's right." Because my father put his duties as a parent above all else, and even though I thought he was being too harsh or unsympathetic at the time, I learned how to act like a respectable adult. I also knew that I could turn to him for anything, and we were able to build a trusting, supportive and strong relationship.
Today, my dad truly is one of my best friends. He's my favorite running partner, sushi date and late-night popcorn maker. But we didn't get so close because he was just a buddy to me when I was younger; he was much more than that. So, to my dad this Father's Day, thank you for being both a parent and a best friend.
