Thursday, June 9, 2011

Be a Dad

NFI has launched a brand new PSA (public service advertising) campaign called "Be a Dad." Take a look:




As I have watched this ad over and over again (loving it every time, of course), something occurred to me. I think many of us assume that to "be a dad" has always meant roughly the same thing. That the images in the Be a Dad spot are natural or obvious. But what if this commercial had been made 30 years ago? What four scenarios would have been depicted?

I know in my own experience, I do some things differently than my own dad did. The biggest "every day" example is that I don't recall my dad ever cooking dinner. I, however, cook dinner for my wife and son routinely. This does not make me better, just different. In fact, my dad is probably proud of the fact that he never cooked dinner :)

A few questions for you.

If Be a Dad was made 30 years ago, what four father-child scenarios would have been depicted?

What do you do differently than your own dad did to be a dad?

What do you think our sons will be doing differently 20 years from now to be a dad?

As you ponder these questions, share the Be a Dad commercial with your friends!

3 comments:

  1. This one's easy. I'm there...every day.

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  2. Hi Dads! This is a big thank you from a grateful mom. I am so glad to have your insight and influence. My kids could never be the people they are without their Dad's wisdom, love, hugs, constant teasing and sometimes bothersome rules. Dads help make our world go round.

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  3. My father passed away two years ago and I can honestly say that to date, this has to be one of the saddest moments in my life. But after the crying, the mourning, the sorrow, sadness, and pain came a period of reflection. It was during this reflective stage that I discovered how instrumental he was to me and to those he served in his community.
    Because of my relationship with my father, I understand how important my role is as a father. Whether it is wrestling with my 3-year old son, working on college financial aid applications with my 21-year old son, helping my 24-year old son with career decisions, or playing a game of “tea cup” with my lovely 5-year old daughter, I get it. I understand how each experience that I have with my children is of equal importance to them and to me. These experiences strengthen the father child bond while helping them to learn something new. A game of “tea cup” teaches my daughter about etiquette, sharing, and helps at building her communication and social skills. A rough and tough wrestling match with my 3-year-old son teaches him about the boundaries, what is and what is not permitted when playing. It also pulls him away from the television and keeps him energetic.

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