Parenting Pointers: Father's Day Tips from Vicki Reece

There is so much soul, grace, and love in everything parents do for their children and with up to 17 million views weekly on her popular motherhood site Joy of Mom, Vicki Reece has been collecting, curating, and crafting moving words to share with families through the triumphs, trials and tribulations that parents face while raising her children. I had a chance to interview Vicki about her Father's Day tips and tricks.

What do dads really want for Father's Day? 

I think Dads just want to feel love and appreciated on this day. And every day. We don’t spend enough time showing Dads how important they are to us and Father’s Day is a great way to start. Think of it as a jumping off point. What can you do to show Dad how much he means to the entire family. Above all, I think Dads want us to spend time with them on this special day. I’m talking about real time. Put down the electronics. Get off social media. Just be really present with the Dad in your life and go have fun. Breakfast is a nice start, but why not make an entire day out of it? 

How can moms help their kids show dad appreciation without it being just another to-do list task? 

Moms can plan with the kids and, together, come up with fun ideas for Dad’s special day! This is a celebration for the entire family. And whatever you plan, plan it with love and the intention to make it all special. Even the tiniest details can be sweet, simple and special. You can make it a family affair and invite the whole family including grandparents. Make sure Dads’ day includes activities that everyone can jump into and enjoy. Maybe it’s favorite family board games, solving a large jigsaw puzzle, family participation games likes charades, bike ride, or a beautiful walk in nature. Think about doing something that you don’t do all the time – i.e. old fashioned popcorn and a family favorite movie.  Think of this as a family holiday with Dad being the special guest.

What are some good ideas for families on a budget? 

The day doesn’t have to be about expensive presents. Some of the best gifts – the keepers – cost nothing. You can frame of picture of your children’s artwork. Buy a low cost journal and have each child write on a page, sprinkled throughout for Dad to discover as he uses it. Have your kids put on a play about Dad. One of my favorite, no cost gifts, is to fill a small jar with slips of paper promising something that Dad can count on in the future – 10 hugs, a car wash with Dad, a day at the park, an all-alone Saturday with Sammy, another one with Seth. That’s a way to make Father’s Day last all year long.

 

With her magnetic mommy blog, JOYOFMOM.COM,  Vicki has created a ground-breaking resource and one-stop 'shop' for mothers of all ages, chock full of inspirational, educational, humorous, lighthearted and instructional tid-bits, articles, videos, visuals and quotes on the joys of motherhood, health, decorating, parenting, recipes, crafts, family activities, wellness, style/clothing, that's designed for moms who want to laugh, learn, love and live life to the fullest through "me and you" insight and what to expect from newborn to graduation. A sitetrusted by millions of moms and dads, JOYOFMOM.COMalso takes advantage of their social medium through daily updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.