Dads are often depicted in pop culture like “high expectation dad” strict and constantly disappointed.
Truth is, they can be just as goofy, embarrassing, and caring as any other dad. And though some may not explicitly say it, they love us and show it in the most powerful ways.
In honour of Father’s Day here are some sweetest thing their “strict” dads has ever done.
From working several jobs to make it in America, to going great lengths to cure their child’s homesickness, these stories prove that our fathers are perfect in their own ways. The dad who rushing out of his restaurant job endured a burn to be there for his kid
“My dad heard I was crying at my nanny’s and rushed to finish cooking at the restaurant he worked at to get to me. Consequently, he accidentally gave himself a third degree burn from the wok in his effort to be there for me. There are moments like this throughout my childhood where he put me first despite his own comfort. I am indebted and sincerely grateful.”
Jessica C.
A father who drove taxis and worked odd jobs for his family: “After arriving in the United States trained as an engineer, he took a number of odd jobs to provide for our family [he] drove taxis, was a security guard in a casino, and also worked a booth at a flea market. The sweetest and most meaningful things aren’t always the ones that make for a pretty picture.”
Juhi T.
The dad who didn’t have birthdays growing up, and used his lunch break to plan his daughter’s
“My dad has always made a big production out of me and my sister’s birthdays, stringing up the entire house with streamers and balloons.
We used to go to bed early the night before our birthday, unable to sleep but giddy about the idea that our dad was on the other side of the door, transforming the house into something magical and just for us. But when I turned 16, my dad had moved to an office nearly an hour away and didn’t have time to decorate. So I went home after school, expecting nothing. But when I opened my bedroom door, I was welcomed by a freaking RAINBOW of decor. Even the windows were covered with paint markers. My dad had driven the distance during his lunch break, decorated my room (wicked fast, probably), and then drove all the way back to work.
Yes, my dad grew up in the typical poor, strict household in then-undeveloped Korea where birthdays came and went without notice. I guess when he moved to the States and had my sister and me, he wanted to do things differently, and he did.”
Sarah J.