Recently, I had a situation play out that I think really illustrates what it looks like to be a dad. One of my sons and his family recently bought a house near Jane and me. They moved to the area from out of state, and I wanted to help them out in the time between when they bought the new house and when they moved in. So, when I mowed my lawn the other day, I rode my mower to the nearby subdivision to mow the lawn at my son’s new house. While I was there, I met the neighbor, and he told me that he recently got a new mower, and his three-year-old loved riding around on it with him. So, he offered to mow my son’s lawn until they get moved in.
As I think about that situation, it just feels like the perfect illustration of fatherhood. You’ve got two dads who are doing what they can to be there for their kids. One dad has a three-year-old who they’re spending time with and coming up with ways to entertain. The other dad has a 33-year-old who they’re helping out. Being there for your kids in whatever way they need is part of what it means to be a dad!