FATHER’S DAY – OUR CHANCE TO SAY THANKS
by Kim Lahey
Piggybacks and hugs – that’s what dads are made of. You might be the dad who always takes time out for an arm wrestle, yells the loudest during family games and always knows how to fix things. Or you might be the dad who teaches your kids how to play chess and shuffle the cards properly. Maybe you can still remember when you were little and your own dad tucked you back into bed after a nightmare or read to you in that precious free-time at the end of a busy day.
I recall standing on my dad’s work boots and clinging tightly to his legs while he walked me over the burr patch whenever the bindies loomed. I would follow my dad to the moon at that age. Come to think of it, I still would.
How can we thank these giants of our (and our kids’) lives? Six dads share their thoughts of their ultimate Father’s Day and some memories of the best and strangest Father’s Day gifts they’ve had.
Luke Hammond – Dad to Isabelle (5), Emilia (3) and soon twins
The best thing my kids could do when I wake up on Father’s Day is bring me a coffee in bed and a big cuddle. My best Father’s Day will probably be this year with my gorgeous girls and newborn twins who should arrive late August. If they are healthy and home it will be a great day. A sleep-in might be nice around that time – but an undisturbed night would be the ultimate (not at all likely though)! My ultimate Father’s Day is hanging out with my girls, a lazy cafe brunch, walk on the beach and a nana nap in the afternoon.
Dale Cashman – Dad to Zoe (11) and Brittany (13)
Every year for Father’s Day the girls write me a song and perform it to me when I wake up, followed by a bacon and eggs breakfast. One of my best Father’s Days was when I took the girls out with me for a round of golf. We went out in the cart and the girls held the flag, raked the bunker and filled the divots. Then I had lunch with my family at the golf club. My ultimate Father’s Day would be sailing the Whitsundays with my family or visiting a favourite holiday spot – the sea caves in Thailand (where this photo is taken). My most memorable gift is when Zoe was five years old – she made me a paper apron. My best gift was when Brittany made me a Why I love my Daddy book which included drawings and writing.
Don Angus – Dad of 6, Granddad of 17, Great Grandad of 1.
Father’s Day for me is all about getting together with family – nothing comes close to our family gatherings. My ultimate Father’s Day was my 80th birthday when all my children, all my grandchildren, my great granddaughter and extended family and school friends came from all over Australia to celebrate with me. I just love seeing how well they all get along together. My grandchildren Facebook and socialise together, they really enjoy each other’s company. A big ‘Father’s Day’ moment was when my son (my wife Joyce and I have four sons and two daughters) was born ….on Mother’s Day!
Darryl Lester – Dad to twins Mason and Cooper (4) and Riley (6)
The best thing the boys could do on Father’s Day is let me sleep in! The best Father’s Day I can think of is taking the boys fishing – we go to Tinnanbar in the Sandy Straits, where my dad comes from. It’s a while since we’ve been. Life can be too busy and it’s sometimes a struggle to spend as much time with your kids as you’d like. My ultimate Father’s Day would be taking the family fishing in my new boat …which I haven’t got yet! Just something comfortable for (my wife) Andrea – not a big cabin cruiser, I’m not an extravagant person. The least memorable gift would be a dead lizard the boys delivered to me, but the best gift ever was the coffee mug Riley made for me at kindy last year, with his drawings on it.
David Hale – Dad to Poppy (5) and Daisy (3)
The best thing my kids could do when I wake up on Father’s Day is say “I love you Daddy” and snuggle up in bed. Then I’d like to be taken out for lunch to my favourite Chinese and not have to cook (I’m the cook in our house). My ultimate Father’s Day would be a day with my girls at Disneyland so I can be a kid again too. The strangest Father’s Day gift I’ve ever been given is “to do list” of household chores! On Father’s Day a few years ago my wife Fran was offered two last-minute tickets to the theatre and went off with her mum while I was left holding the baby and the list of chores. Being a dad means a lot - tragically my father died suddenly when I was only nine, so I truly cherish the moments I have with my own children, enjoying life to the full, helping them learn and seeing their smiling faces from the moment they wake up.
Jason Sandford-Bell – Dad to Ethan (7) Rylan (5) Lachlan (3) and Callum (10 months)
As long as we’re together – that’s the best I could ask for on Father’s Day. My best day as a dad has to be seeing the birth of each of our boys then seeing the reaction of the older ones as we brought the new one home. All our boys love Star Wars movies (including myself) although my wife isn’t as keen! So a morning at home watching movies, a nice family lunch then an afternoon at the beach would be the ultimate Father’s Day for me. My strangest Father’s Day gift was during my time as a Blackhawk helicopter pilot for the Army. At one point we were involved in a drought relief operation in Papua New Guinea and the local villagers – who we’d been flying water, flour and rice for into the Highlands -– heard about this concept called ‘Father’s Day’ which happened to fall when we were there. The local villagers tried to offer each of us a young goat as a present, regardless of whether we were dads or not! It took about 30 minutes of convincing that we couldn’t take them with us, but it was a very generous offer!
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