Happy Father's Day!

Hope all the dads out there are having a wonderful day. I always think of the Chris Rock bit when Father's Day rolls around - "What does Daddy get? The big piece of chicken." lol

I think we take dads for granted. They get a new tie, maybe some golfballs...rarely anything particularly thoughtful when compared to the haul that moms get on Mother's Day. For most of us, the reason mom was able to be there to kiss our booboos & sew our school play costumes was because dad was out working long hours, making sure he could provide a good life for us. Now it seems like that's the bare minimum. Dads are expected to pay bills (which are grossly inflated) while working less hours so that they never *ever* miss a soccer game or family dinner. What happened to kids being excited about getting a new bike for Christmas? Can you imagine a 12 year old today opening the usual socks, pajamas & then the one big gift & revealing a bicycle? He expects a brand new bike every summer for no reason at all! Christmas is for Xbox 360s, digital cameras, TVs & DVD players for the kid's room. Notice I said AND not OR.

Despite the fact that most childless couples need two incomes to sustain a middle class lifestyle, more & more women want to stay home with their children & the father is expected to be able to provide for the same lifestyle plus a baby on an income that has just been sliced in half. He should also be doing his share of midnight feedings, diaper changes & household chores if he's a "good" father. He shouldn't dare ask for sex until at least 6 months after the baby is born. When he comes home from work, he should take over the childcare to give mom a break. And what does dad get as a thank you? A mug with a fish on it.

Before I get a slew of "well my dad was an asshole & my mom was a saint" comments, let me say I know. I know moms work hard & deserve to be appreciated. They *are*. According to the National Retail Federation, the average person plans to spend $88.80 on dads, compared with $122.16 for moms. Some retailers, however, see this as a great opportunity to make more money & launched the biggest Father's Day advertising campaigns to date starting three weeks earlier than last year hoping to drive more sales. Do we really need a shove from capitalism to get us to say thanks to our dads?

If you dropped the ball this Father's Day or recoil at the idea of commemorating a Hallmark holiday, you can still put in a little honest effort without feeling cheesy. See if your dad wants to go out to watch Game 7 (woooohooooo!) or whatever sport he likes to watch. My dad is not a sports bar kind of guy & would never meet up with buddies to watch a game, but he'll go if I invite him & he ends up having a great time. When's the last time your dad went to see a movie? They just don't do this stuff if you don't make 'em!

So if you haven't already, get off your butt & give your dad a call.

And then come watch my camshow at 11:00 PM EST. =)