Okay, so, I saw this “father of the year award” thing online and thought, “Hey, I can do that!” I mean, how hard could it be to be the best dad ever, right? So I started brainstorming some major dad-level activities. First thing that came to mind? A fort. Every kid loves a good fort.
I gathered all the blankets and pillows I could find in the house. The kids were already excited, bouncing around and grabbing their favorite stuffed animals. We cleared out the living room, moving furniture and making space for our epic construction. I started draping blankets over chairs, the coffee table, anything that could provide some height. The kids were helping, well, sort of. Mostly they were just running around under the blankets, giggling.
- Blankets – check
- Pillows – check
- Chairs – check
- Excited kids – double check
After a bit of wrestling with the blankets and some strategic pillow placement, we had a pretty decent fort. It wasn’t exactly award-winning, but it was cozy. We even made a little entrance flap. I grabbed some fairy lights and strung them up inside, which made it look extra magical. The kids were thrilled. We crawled inside, told stories, and ate snacks. It was a blast.
Next up, I decided to take them on a “wilderness adventure.” We don’t exactly live near a forest, so I had to improvise. We packed some snacks, filled up our water bottles, and headed to the local park. I let the kids lead the way, pretending we were exploring uncharted territory. We climbed on the playground equipment, swung on the swings, and even had a picnic under a big tree.
Baking Shenanigans
For our final act of fatherly excellence, I thought baking would be a good idea. I found a simple cookie recipe online. It was supposed to be easy, but things got a little messy, as you can imagine when you have two little helpers in the kitchen.
We measured out the flour and sugar, cracked eggs (with a few casualties), and mixed everything together. The kids loved getting their hands dirty, and we ended up with flour pretty much everywhere. But hey, that’s part of the fun, right? We rolled out the dough, used cookie cutters to make fun shapes, and popped them in the oven. The smell of freshly baked cookies filled the whole house. When they were done, we decorated them with icing and sprinkles. They didn’t look perfect, but they tasted pretty good.
So, did I win the “father of the year” award? Maybe not officially, but seeing the smiles on my kids’ faces, I felt like a winner. We made some great memories, and that’s what really matters. And I learned that being a great dad isn’t about grand gestures, it’s about spending quality time together, having fun, and making the most of every moment. Also, cleaning up flour is a real pain. Would I do it again? Absolutely, but maybe with a bit more preparation next time. All in all, it was a pretty successful day in my book.
