Show Dad your appreciation with this classic from New York Times bestselling author Greg Lang. Why a Son Needs a Dad has been bringing together fathers and sons for years, and makes the perfect gift for dads everywhere.
To a son, Dad is a superhero―big, strong, and always there to save the day. Whether tossing a ball or bandaging a skinned knee, Dad's hands are a constant source of comfort and safety.
A Son Needs a Dad...
Featuring over 40 inspiring black & white photos, Why A Son Needs a Dad celebrates 100 reasons why Dad's love is a beacon of guidance and strength to help his son become the wonderful man he's destined to be.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Gregory E. Lang is the New York Times bestselling author of more than 20 books, including Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, Why a Daughter Needs a Mom, Why a Son Needs a Dad, Why a Son Needs a Mom, and Why I Love You. He lives in Georgia.
Introduction
I am the first-born child of a household that included five children before my dad was thirty years old. Ours was the house that never seemed to sleep, with constant activity swirling around it and within it, the one that seemed nearly to burst at the edges as the children who called it home continued to grow. My dad worked hard to provide for his family, but also made time to be with his children, both together and one-on-one. He made sure the tree house we built ourselves was sturdy and safe, that my soapbox racer would indeed cross the finish line, and that once big enough to see over the steering wheel, each child, sitting in his lap, got a chance to drive through the neighborhood in their choice of the station wagon or the old pickup truck.
I have many heartwarming memories from my youth: my dad showing me how to hit a curveball in the front yard; working with Dad on a Boy Scout project to earn a coveted merit badge; handing him his tools as he tinkered with the car or improved the house on a Sunday afternoon. My dad loved to fish. I remember being awakened by him before sunrise on Saturday mornings, and whispering so as not to awaken my younger siblings, the two of us slipping outside to go fishing. Standing at the water's edge we sometimes talked. Other times we were both content just to listen to the morning sounds. In these early years of my life, my dad was my hero.
As I became a teenager our relationship began to change. Like most young people, I considered myself misunderstood and overly controlled. I wanted to wear the "in" clothes and stay out late with my friends, shirking my chores and other responsibilities. My demonstrations of rebellion irritated my dad like a pesky splinter under a fingernail. Both being strong willed, my dad and I clashed often. My stormy coming-of-age years were difficult for both of us. At times our disputes were serious enough that I questioned our love for one another, and I wondered what happened to the man who had taught me how to fish. When I left home I promised myself I would not be like him when I became a man, and most certainly not when I became a father.
By the time I entered graduate school my dad and I had come to a peaceful coexistence. We were different, but we could get along. We would not talk much, but we would not argue either. The emotion between us was warm, but not embracing. I could thank him for the money he would slip into my pocket when he thought I wasn't looking and for welcoming me as I came home now and then for one of Mom's soothing Sunday meals. He could tell me he was proud of what I had accomplished. Our relationship was not what it had been, but it was such that I could love him again. This will be okay, I thought to myself. I did not imagine then that years later we would find ourselves sharing a deep bond, that I would feel intensely for him, and that I would be giving my dad credit for helping to shape me into the man I would become.
Today, with more years and a few hundred thousand miles under my feet, I have come to see my father very differently. Now being a father of an emerging teenager and experiencing for myself the stresses and challenges I must have presented in my youth, I smile when I realize my daughter and I are playing out the same debates and negotiations my father and I once did. Now, wiser, I know it was not that I was misunderstood or controlled, but that I lacked the life experience to know what risks I was taking, the judgment to get myself out of trouble before a permanent scar might be made, and the understanding that it was possible something bad could happen to me. Today I know my dad was protecting me from what I could not see and simply trying to save himself from the gut-wrenching fear of allowing his child to let go of his hand.
A dad has the responsibility of providing for his family. Sometimes the difficulties of that task go unrecognized and without gratitude. Now having that responsibility for myself-and for only one child, I might add-I look back in amazement at what my dad did. He sometimes worked two jobs to support his family; he pushed himself beyond his education to acquire the skills necessary for a better career; and he never bought things for himself before he took care of his children. We ate well, dressed warmly, received gifts, and went on vacations. Even today he continues to extend help to his adult children when he thinks it is needed. I have called him in the middle of the night and he has come to me.
On my mantel, next to a high school portrait of my mom and amid many photographs of my daughter, sits a picture of my dad and me in the front yard of my parents' first house. He is squatting down, his arms wrapped around me as I stand between his knees. Sometimes as I reflect on what is important to me, I stand before this mantel and look at those photographs, realizing how blessed I am to have these loving parents and this wonderful child. As I think of the difficult years of my youth, I think that perhaps I owe my parents, especially my dad, an apology, but know that they would wave me off and accuse me of being silly. I think of things I would like to do for them, and I look forward to each time I hurry my daughter into the car and make a trip to the home I left so many years ago. I am eager to get there, to kiss Mom, and to sit on the front porch and talk with Dad.
Now having come full circle as a son who once worshipped, then disfavored, and now deeply admires his dad, and being a father trying my best to parent but finding myself always second-guessing my abilities, I wonder if my teenage daughter will ever look at me with dancing eyes again. I think the role of being a dad is the greatest challenge and the highest reward a man can have. Reflecting on my dad and me, I know my child and I will have a wonderful, loving, and long-lasting relationship because my dad and I have one. I know that in the end I will be satisfied with my performance as a father because my dad showed me how to do it. And I can believe that I have been a good son because my dad tells me so. I love you, Dad, I do. And I am proud to be your son.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Shipping:
FREE
Within U.S.A.
Shipping:
FREE
Within U.S.A.
Seller: SecondSale, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Condition: Acceptable. Item in very good condition! Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc. Seller Inventory # 00072796926
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: SecondSale, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. Item in good condition. Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc. Seller Inventory # 00071903818
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: SecondSale, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Condition: USED_VERYGOOD. Item in very good condition! Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc. Seller Inventory # 00025303416
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Goodwill of Colorado, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. This item is in overall good condition. Covers and dust jackets are intact but may have minor wear including slight curls or bends to corners as well as cosmetic blemishes including stickers. Pages are intact but may have minor highlighting/ writing. Binding is intact; however, spine may have slight wear overall. Digital codes may not be included and have not been tested to be redeemable and/or active. Minor shelf wear overall. Please note that all items are donated goods and are in used condition. Orders shipped Monday through Friday! Your purchase helps put people to work and learn life skills to reach their full potential. Orders shipped Monday through Friday. Your purchase helps put people to work and learn life skills to reach their full potential. Thank you!. Seller Inventory # 466SUS00225S
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: -OnTimeBooks-, Phoenix, AZ, U.S.A.
Condition: UNSPECIFIED. Book may contain some writing, highlighting, and or cover damage. Shipped fast and reliably!. Seller Inventory # OTV.1402281390.VG
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: -OnTimeBooks-, Phoenix, AZ, U.S.A.
Condition: USED_GOOD. Book may contain some writing, highlighting, and or cover damage. Shipped fast and reliably!. Seller Inventory # OTV.1402281390.G
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.8. Seller Inventory # G1402281390I4N00
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.8. Seller Inventory # G1402281390I4N00
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Irish Booksellers, Portland, ME, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. SHIPS FROM USA. Used books have different signs of use and do not include supplemental materials such as CDs, Dvds, Access Codes, charts or any other extra material. All used books might have various degrees of writing, highliting and wear and tear and possibly be an ex-library with the usual stickers and stamps. Dust Jackets are not guaranteed and when still present, they will have various degrees of tear and damage. All images are Stock Photos, not of the actual item. book. Seller Inventory # 7-1402281390-G
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Better World Books: West, Reno, NV, U.S.A.
Condition: Very Good. 2nd Edition. Used book that is in excellent condition. May show signs of wear or have minor defects. Seller Inventory # 10173344-75
Quantity: 1 available