Father's Day Gift

The 30-minute gift you should give yourself.

Author

Michael Hatfield
June 15, 2024

No, not that self-love gift…that’s like a 5 minute thing. On this Father’s Day weekend, bask in everything you deserve. Golf, new toys, kid-made breakfast w/ egg shells in it, and whatever your spouse decides you earned. Soak it in baby.

My Ask Is Simple

I want you to get at least 30 minutes away from your family on this day and use it to schedule ahead. If you wish there was a little less flailing in your non-work weekly/monthly schedule, this 30 mins is for you. If you think you do OK in home balance but wish intentional time in each category happened more regularly this 30 mins is for you.

#1 Dad: Do #1 of each section first. Time permitting, do #2. Return to normal scheduled programming of being showered with Hallmark Holiday love.

Parent

  1. Commit one evening in the next month to be a “dad night”. If your work schedule is crazy, pick an open Sat/Sun time. If more predictable, grab a weeknight and tell your wife about it ahead of time. 2x points if she gets a girls night/hh out of it.

  2. Intentionally select a random night after kid camp to grab dinner out together.
    This happens out of necessity, stress or lack of planning fairly often if your house is like mine. Plan one so you can all actually enjoy it and you don’t go into it ready to fight the cashier.

Partner

  1. Thank your wife/partner for everything you see today.
    It’s honestly easy to forget to do that. About a month ago you may have felt the other side of this coin.

  2. Calendar a date night to occur before August 1st.
    Don’t let it overwhelm you. Summer lunch break from work. Basic ass picnic at the playground to keep babysitter/restaurant cost down. Movie night and carryout when kids go to bed.

    Any of these count, and it’s required to make everything better.

Person

  1. Calendar block your fitness schedule for this week, 3-5x. 
    Yoga, lifting, cardio, aggressive HIIT training…whatever. Get it locked in and coordinated NOW. Make sure your partner knows about these times and ask for help viciously protecting these.

  2. Text your local dudes to START planning a guy-only something to happen by mid-July.
    Boat float? Happy Hour? Grill out? Concert? I don’t care what it is, but if you don’t start a text, it’ll be NFL Season Game 1 before you realize you let the whole summer slip by without this.

If you’re already great at doing all of the above, I sincerely applaud you. I’m still struggling. And, in my research I find that a lot of dads are doing this, but when they look back they’re like “damn, I thought I did it a bit more often”. This is simply the motivator to create some of these moments and memories a bit more often. When I find myself daydreaming, it’s usually 1 of these 3 areas…not that one work presentation I crushed.

My Spiel at Appairent
We need help to make sure we are a better and more balanced parent, partner and person.

If you or someone you know needs a virtual assistant to make sure the things above actually happen, that’s what Appairent is here for.

We schedule, nudge and arrange these things so your home life gets the same attention your work life does.

Have a blast out there Dads…maybe Maddy Hattie makes an appearance soon for fun.

🍻 Hattie