Why Dads are great – from a self confessed Daddy’s girl

With Father’s Day fast approaching, I got to thinking about my old dad. I must admit, I am a total daddy’s girl, as Mr Snug will testify. No-one is as good as my dad. Ok, he has his little foibles, like never ever admitting to the possibility that he might be wrong. And the great delight he took in embarrassing me at every available opportunity during my teenage years (particularly if there were boys involved). Come to think of it, he still does this, although the only boy he has chance to embarrass me with now is Mr Snug, and I think we are past that.

He claims to have been a rubbish Dad when I was little – he used to work shifts and wasnt around as much as he’d have liked, and he reckons that when he was there he wasn’t much good. I totally disagree!

The things I remember from being a little girl were the way he used to save  me the last bit of coffee from his flask when he was on night shift, and sometimes (if I was really lucky) the last bite of his corned beef sandwich. I remember going for bike rides with him, and helping him train the dogs.

I can overlook the time he left me outside the library because he forgot to unlock the back door of the car for me to get in (before the days of central locking). He only realised when he and my older brother arrived at my mums work to collect her (before the days of two car families) – I was 8.

Instead, I think of all the support he gave me whenever I spilt up with a boyfriend (one particular break up is fondly remembered by Dad proferring gin and tonic and Haagen Daaz  ice cream).

When I went away to university, he used to write me long letters. Although, they never actually came from him – I had one from Lord Lucan, one from the dog, and one pertaining to me from the British Red Cross (complete with food parcel). I lived in halls and we had a systen whereby we had to ask for our post from the reception. I used to get some very strange looks.

Now I have children of my own, and he is the most fantastic Grandfather I could ever wish them to have. He is just the right mix of play and discipline (and they pay far more attention to him that they do to me). The SnugBoys absolutely dote on him.

Basically I think my Dad is fabulous. I hope my boys grow up thinking the world of their dad, they way I do of mine. Happy Father’s Day, Dad.