What Do Dads Do Anyway?

I was watching my husband teach my son how to throw a football out in the front yard one day last week. I was amazed at how detailed and gentle he was in his explanation and demonstration. When my son's throw looked all wrong, I was amazed at how patient and soft spoken my husband was as he repeated his explanation with a full 2nd demonstration.

When my son was younger, it was I who taught my son to walk, talk and dress himself. I handled potty training, table manners and so many things that I often wondered, just what are a dad's responsibilities? It seemed like my husband did all the fun things like play with him, tuck him in bed at night and show him off to anybody and everybody who would look and listen.

Now I don't wonder anymore. Now I see that while all the things I taught my son were important, my husband has plenty to teach my son, on his own, in his own time, in his own way. I realize now that my husband wasn't just teaching my son how to throw a football, he was teaching him how to be detail oriented, patient, understanding, how to try again and not give up, and most importantly, how to be a good dad.

The scriptures say,

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: Ecclesiastes 3:1

So let us rejoice that we have fathers, grandfathers, husbands who are fathers and for the fathers that our sons will become, all because they have been blessed with a father who does so very much when the time is right.