On June 19, 1910, Washington State celebrated the nation’s first statewide Father’s Day. Slowly, the holiday spread. Then, 100 years ago, President Wilson honored the day by using telegraph signals to unfurl a flag in Spokane when he pressed a button in Washington, D.C.
Later, President Calvin Coolidge urged state governments to observe Father’s Day. However, as one historian pointed out, many men “scoffed at the holiday’s sentimental attempts to domesticate manliness with flowers and gift-giving, or they derided the proliferation of such holidays as a commercial gimmick to sell more products–often paid for by the father himself.”
Now, it’s become such a tradition, we celebrate Father’s Day. I bought a card to honor my father, who will visit us tomorrow…and my kids were secretly scrambling around yesterday…
As I considered different resources in honor of Father’s Day, I recalled Dr. Kevin Leman’s book Making Kids Mind Without Losing Yours. Jennifer and I read it in 2008 when attending Capital Baptist Church in Annandale, Virginia. Pastor Steve (author of Bod4God) asked us to lead a small group discussion about the book, which we found very helpful. At the time, Katy was 8, Cody was 6, and Tanner was 1! (The pictured above was taken yesterday, as we prepared to go see Finding Dory). My, how the time flies!
Click here for a summary of ideas from Making Kids Mind Without Losing Yours.