zondag 28 juni 2009

What dads can't do

For all father's that didn't get anything at Father's Day

What dads can't do is written from a preschooler's admiring perspective of a dad's helpful habits. Any father will be delighted to think that perhaps some of that self-sacrifice is perceived in positive ways by the tykester set.

This book would make a wonderful gift from a preschooler to her or his father for Father's Day. The humorous, warm watercolors with dinosaurusses make the messages tickle your laughter button even more than would usually occur with these dry one-liners:

• There are lots of things that regular people can do but dads can't
• Can't cross the street without holding hands
• Dads can push, but they can't swing
• Dads can't pitch a baseball very hard or hit one very far
• When dads play hide-and-seek they always get found, but they have a hard time finding you
• They aren't very good wrestlers
• Dads lose at checkers and cards and almost every other game
• Dads aren't good at sleeping late. They can't comb their hair or shave by themselves
• Dads like to go camping but they need lots of help setting up the tent
• And cooking

As you can see, the manly virtues being praised here are inclusiveness and helpfulness. When dad operates like mom, then he 'can't' do something… but that's really all right. My favorites in the book include:

• Dads seem to have trouble holding on to their money.' Combined with an illustration of buying a toy in a store
• Dads like to go fishing, but they don't like to go alone. And they need extra practice baiting the hook
• Dads can't read a book by themselves
• Sometimes they leave a night-light on because they're a little scared of the dark
• And most of all, whatever happens, a dad never ever stops loving you

The book is written in such a way that this book can be seen as being about a dad:

• Who's married to a wonderful mom,
• One who's divorced and whose children are visiting, or
• A single dad who's raising children by himself.

I liked that feature very much. The book is also appealing because it will make a dad feel good whenever he does one of these things. He knows that his son or daughter will appreciate his consideration from having read this book. So having this book available in your house is a little bit like making every day Father's Day! After you finish the book, dad, you can develop even more closeness by asking your wee ones what else dad can't do. I'm sure they'll come up with some dillies to amuse one and all. Find more ways to help… because you never stand higher in the world's estimation than when you stoop to aid another.

Donald Mitchell is co-author of The Irresistible Growth Enterprise and The 2,000 Percent Solution. The book What Dads Can't Do is available at Simon and Schuster adult publishing group, author Douglas Wood. Marilyn Courtot (editor and founder of a Comprehensive Database) is the most wonderful mom adding: Copyright © 2000 Children's Literature. All Rights Reserved.

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