How to Celebrate Father’s Day Without a Father

All across the world, many children grow up without fathers. What should you do with these kids on father’s day when they don’t have a father? Here are some tips and ideas that can help your family and children celebrate father’s day even if they don’t have a father.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Talk with your child about the situation that left them without a father in their lives. Don’t be afraid to bring something up, no matter how difficult. Usually children are thinking things long before their parents ever ask about it.
   
   Asking simply gives them permission to talk about it.

2. If your child is angry or hurt, let them write a letter to their father, even if you don’t know where he is. Sometimes just putting those feelings into words is all a child needs. Let them grieve or be angry. Just because they’ve written a letter doesn’t mean that it needs to be mailed.
   
   As your children age, let them write this letter and pour their heart and soul into it. Then have a ceremony to destroy the letter, and their sad or angry feelings, too.

3. Take time to celebrate the life of a special male figure in your child’s life. It could be an uncle, neighbor, or even the dad of a close friend. Ask your child who they’d like to honor this year.

4. Call this man and let him know that your child would like to celebrate his life for father’s day. It doesn’t have to be anything big – dinner or a family cook out isn’t required.
   
   Talk with him or his wife and arrange a time to drop by on father’s day to present your child’s special ‘gift.’

5. Let your child participate in the crafts that are made in school, day care, church, or at other locations that make small gifts for father’s day.

6. If your child’s father is deceased, plan a trip to the cemetery. Bring a card or a special poem that your child wrote for their dad.

7. It’s important to acknowledge Father’s Day in some fashion. Don’t simply pretend that it doesn’t exist. Your child may go along with you, but they’ll know that you’re ignoring it whether you say so or not.

[PattyOh]

on 4/6/2008 Mister-M, your insight is appreciated. I am specifically addressing situations where the father has made the decision to withdraw and not be a part of a child's life. Sadly, too many children are affected by this problem.

[Mister-M]

on 4/3/2008 The most important thing you could do is to continue to foster and encourage a positive relationship with the father. Ensure that the father is meaningful part of the child's life and don't use the child as a weapon in a contentious divorce situation.

Far too often and particularly due to the reality that family court is tilted heavily in favor of mothers, father's are pushed out of their childrens' lives even though that are fit and willing.

Don't use the child as a weapon against your ex-husband. Children need two loving parents in their lives, even if their parents couldn't make it work.

http://www.thepsychoexwife.com

[MidniteWriter]

on 2/19/2008 Good tips, this is a very unique article. Let ALL the men in your life know how special they are!

[grouch]

on 1/13/2008 There will always be someone in your child's life who has a father influence. It is a great idea to celebrate their good influence on the world as a whole and there is never to little time to say thank you.

[Catnipp]

on 1/9/2008 GREAT article with helpful tips!