There When He Needs You

My father was from the old school. My mother ran our home and he followed her directions. She did the cooking, cleaning, child rearing, and any other domestic chore that came down the pike. He dutifully went to work each day -- a nine-to-fiver -- and turned the paycheck over to my mom. When I was upset, Mom was first in line to comfort me. Dad was in the background, always there to be called upon, but rarely initiating activities and conversations. A good man, he put others' needs before his own, but did not provide me with a role model for a strong, emotionally expressive father. Sure, he attended my sports events, chauffeured my friends and me around, and was always willing to help out when I asked. But on some level, I resented his shadow status. I wanted more but didn't have a clue how to ask for it.

At times, my dad embarrassed me. He was uneducated, wore dated clothing, and had a corny sense of humor. I didn't have much as a child and was often envious of the things some of my friends had -- better baseball gloves, bigger ... read full excerpt from: There When He Needs You: How to Be an Available, Involved, and Emotionally Connected Father to Your Son ebook