It’s Father’s Day weekend, and this holiday brings up a lot of emotions for many of us, some good, some bad. Nevertheless, it’s a holiday that we have to face every year, so why not shift our focus a bit, to ensure that it is a positive day, with positive thoughts, feelings, and experiences? Today, I want to share some untraditional Father’s Day gift ideas with you, that you might not typically associate with Father’s Day, because the gifts are actually for you; my busy, working moms.
Yes, most of these gifts may technically be all about you, but the benefits will have a positive impact on the fathers in your life. So let’s dive right in!
7 Untraditional Father’s Day Gift Ideas That Every Busy, Working Mom Needs To Give
1. The gift of forgiveness. Let’s just get this out of the way, shall we? I don’t know what type of relationship you have with that special father in your life. But I do know that everyone needs to be forgiven from time to time. Whether it’s your husband, who forgot to do that important thing you asked him to do (again!), or your child’s father who cancelled on you (again!) when he was supposed to pick up your child, holding on to unforgiveness, is just not good for your mental health. Not forgiving someone who hurt you, keeps you in a mental, emotional, and spiritual prison, as you wait for them to repay a debt, that they have no intention of ever repaying. Waiting for an apology that you may never get, will keep you bitter, and missing out on true happiness in your life. Do yourself a favor, let it go! There is no power in unforgiveness, and there is no freedom in resentment. It diminishes your quality of life, because it shifts your focus from gratitude, to anger and bitterness. Whatever happened is done, and you cannot change the past. You also cannot control what other people choose to do. Give it to God. Let it go. Free yourself. Give the gift of forgiveness today.
2. The gift of joy. Have you ever seen someone smile, and automatically started to smile too? When you see your children laughing, and smiling, doesn’t it make you feel a sense of joy? Well, you deserve to experience and exude that same type of joy too! I’ve deliberately chosen to use the word joy, instead of happiness, because happiness is very much dependent upon your circumstances. You could be happy today, and sad tomorrow, depending on what’s happening in your life. On the other hand, joy is something that comes from deep within you, and it can be present, even in the darkest of circumstances. Joy comes from knowing who you truly are, and accepting that, although you may not be able to control everything that happens in your life, you can still be thankful for all of your blessings, even when things aren’t going the way you would like for them to go. Joy is felt by everyone around you, and it is contagious! Feel it, spread it, and watch how lives around you are transformed by it! Give the gift of joy today.
3. The gift of peace. Well, you might think this is a bit of a stretch, but you deserve to have peace, even in the midst of your daily challenges, as a busy, working mom. If you don’t have peace, you won’t have joy, and if you don’t have joy, you will find it very difficult to forgive the fathers in your life, over and over again. True peace comes from trusting in a Source that is greater than you, and knowing that you don’t have to be in control of everything that is going on, because you can trust the One who is. Peace is saying to yourself, “I surrender my thoughts, and my desires, and I choose to focus on the positive, and on what I can control. The rest, I leave in God’s hands, and I know that everything will always work out as it should.” When you have a spirit of peace, your children feel it, your husband feels it, your dad feels it, your family feels it. Your peace benefits you, and everyone around you. You know what else peace does? It repels unpeaceful behavior and people! People who like drama and negativity, won’t like to be around you, because your aura, your attitude, and your words, will be so foreign to them, it will make them uncomfortable. It will reveal to them the lack of peace in their lives, and cause them to search deep within. By the way, not everyone wants to search deep within to find their inner peace. Some people thrive off of chaos. Those are not your people. Declare today that your peace of mind is priceless, and you will not allow anyone to disturb it! Give the gift of peace this Father’s Day.
4. The gift of acceptance. One of the greatest gifts you can give yourself is the gift of accepting who you are, flaws and all, and also accepting others for who they are. You might be able to write a long list of all of the bad habits and behaviors of your husband, your father, or your children’s father, who you are no longer with. But accepting them for who they are, is a much better approach, and will help to enhance and improve your relationship with all of the fathers in your life. People are who they are, and nobody’s perfect. Who you are is a combination of your beliefs, values, choices, and your upbringing. Everyone is at different stages of their personal and spiritual development, and some of us are more mature than others. It’s all good. Treat people the way that you want to be treated. Accept yourself for who you are, as you are, right now, and do the same for the fathers in your life. Then, use your energy to focus on your positive attributes, your own personal development, and be intentional about finding and focusing on the good in others. It makes for a much more positive and joyful life. Give the gift of acceptance today.
5. The gift of love. Love and acceptance are very closely tied together, and you can’t truly have one, without the other. You can’t really love someone, if you don’t accept them for who they are. Now, there are different ways to love people. Some folk are toxic, and not healthy for your mental well-being, so you have to love them from afar. But in that space, make sure you are not speaking negatively about them to your children, or anyone else for that matter. Your words have power. They can heal, or they can cause more pain. The choice is yours. However that special father in your life likes to feel loved, give it to him. Whether, it’s through words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, or physical touch, speak their love language, and give them the gift of love, this Father’s Day. But remember, in order to give love, you have to love yourself first. So make sure you’re showing yourself love as well. It all starts with you. Give the gift of love today.
6. The gift of gratitude. When was the last time you looked at that special father in your life and said, "Thank You”? There’s always something to be thankful for! Did your husband wash the dishes? Say thank you. Did he help with the laundry, or help the kids with their homework? Say thank you! Did your ex come on time to pick up your kids? Say thank you. Did your dad provide you with some moral support to help you accomplish one of your goals? Thank him! Did your “Baby Daddy” (yes, I went there lol) teach you how to be more patient, kind, and understanding, and not lash out when someone is pushing all of your buttons? Be thankful! Take this holiday as an opportunity to show your gratitude to the fathers in your life. Tell them you appreciate them, and share some specific things that they do well, or that you admire about them. Speak it out loud and write it in a card, and give to them. Invite your children to do the same. Make them a special Father’s Day video highlighting all of the awesome things about them, and share it on Facebook, and tag them, so the world can know what a wonderful father they are. Spread love, and give the gift of gratitude this Father’s Day.
7. The gift of physical health. You know I couldn’t leave this out! Hey, this the Make It Fun NYC blog, so I have to include this because it’s one of the best gifts you can give, to that special father in your life. According to the World Health Organization:
Insufficient physical activity is one of the leading risk factors for death worldwide.
Insufficient physical activity is a key risk factor for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes.
Physical activity has significant health benefits and contributes to prevent NCDs.
Globally, 1 in 4 adults is not active enough.
Give that special father in your life the gift of a healthy and fit body! A gift certificate to my "Jump To Burn" jump rope class in NYC, or in Philly, is the perfect (low-cost) Father’s Day gift (and you can print out the gift certificate below, right from your computer)! Click here to purchase a jump rope class with me. After you make your purchase, come back to this blog post, right click on the image below, and click “Save Image”, to save it on your computer. Then, print it out from your computer, and put it in your special someone’s Father’s Day card, and prepare to see a huge smile on his face! I can’t wait to see all the Dads in my jump rope classes! It’s a family affair, so make sure you come too, and bring the kids with you!
So that is your list of untraditional Father’s Day gifts, that can be life-changing for you, and the fathers in your life. Which one of these do you need to give this Father’s Day? Or, do you plan on giving all of them?
Talk to me in the comments, and tell me which of these gifts resonated with you the most. I always love to hear from you!
Happy Father’s Day to all of the awesome dads out there, taking great care of your children, being a role model, and spreading love every day! We appreciate you!